Dan Bissell

Today

Cellar discipline sits at the center of Dan Bissell’s work, built first in the day-to-day demands of fermentation, timing, and attention to detail as Assistant Winemaker at Keuka Spring Vineyards in Penn Yan, NY (2020–2021). That period gave direct experience with the mechanics that shape a finished wine: steady production, constant judgment calls, and the patience required for a vintage to resolve on its own terms. Since 2021, as Head Winemaker at Keuka Spring Vineyards in Penn Yan, NY (from 2021), he has continued to shape the house style with that same practical approach, keeping the character of the grapes and the region in view. His work there centers on Blaufränkisch, a variety he has singled out as especially important to the area.

Signature

Dan's signature wines include 2021 Blaufränkisch and Sauvignon Blanc. Together, they show a range that runs from Blaufränkisch’s deeper regional register to Sauvignon Blanc’s brighter clarity. The pair points to a winemaker working between structure and freshness, with attention to what each variety can express when handled with care.

In Their Words “For a vintage like that, that’s when winemakers have to step in and get involved a lot more as opposed to a vintage with pretty fruit where we’re more stewards of guiding the fruit into bottle, just making sure nothing wrong happens.” The remark describes cellar work as active judgment rather than passive oversight. In a difficult vintage, the task is to intervene with timing and restraint, while in an easier one the work shifts toward protection and continuity. “When I came here, it was a variety they were heavily invested in and I was happy to see that because that’s the way I feel about it as well.” That alignment places Blaufränkisch at the center of the program, not as an accessory but as a grape worth sustained attention. The shared investment reflects a clear position on the variety and the role it can play in the region.