Zach Pegram, Head Winemaker Swedish Hill, Goose Watch, & Penguin Bay Wineries
Zach started out in Oregon, where he was a harvest intern for the 2010 and 2011 vintages. In the spring of 2012, he enrolled at Cornell University and received a Master’s degree in Enology. After graduation, he garnered more experience working temporary positions for the Enology program at Cornell and interning at Fox Run with Peter Bell. Afterward, he was fortunate to be offered the position of Assistant Winemaker at Red Tail Ridge and spent 2 years under the expert guidance of Nancy Irelan and Mike Schnelle–he is grateful for his time there. In the summer of 2015, he took the position of Winemaker at Swedish Hill and has spent the last 7 years working with and learning from an amazing crew and his mentor, Derek Wilber. Zach took over as Head Winemaker in December 2021.
Why did you choose to make wine here?
Opportunity. In so many ways this region gives the opportunity to make wine in a myriad of styles. The Finger Lakes region has been making great wine for decades, and yet there is still so much room for personal style and approach. We all get a chance to influence what Finger Lakes wine is and what it can be. Getting to have some sort of voice in that conversation is really incredible and not something you normally find in Premier wine regions.
How would you describe your winemaking style?
Attentive, but reserved. It really comes down to being able to dedicate so much of your time, labor, and thought into making the best wine under the current vintage conditions. It always changes and we need to change with it. When it comes down to it, we are continually forced to observe, to adapt, to try something new, or focus on another aspect of the winemaking process, but without going too far.
What is your favorite activity outside of winemaking?
Sleeping. But seriously, my wife and I have three, young, beautiful, wonderful, intelligent, questioning, exhausting children. So yeah, sleeping. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Do you have any harvest traditions or superstitions?
My biggest harvest tradition is to stop shaving. I tell myself is out of superstition, but we really know it is out of exhaustion. Here is the fun part—the first night off I get with my family, I like to secretly and incrementally shave small, random parts of my beard off throughout the evening, until someone starts to notice and then continue until it is truly hideous. It makes my kids laugh and my wife cringe—who says harvest can’t be fun for the whole family?
What do you love about where you work?
Hands down my crew. I have been really lucky throughout my career to work with amazing winemakers, amazing people. I wouldn’t be here without each and every one of them, and I feel undeserving of the commitment and dedication I continue to receive from the crew and staff at Swedish Hill. We are a team and I couldn’t do it without them.
Swedish Hill Winery, Penguin Bay Winery, Goose Watch Winery
The Edible Finger Lakes Meet Your (Wine) Maker column is developed in partnership with the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance whose mission is to increase the visibility and reputation of the Finger Lakes AVA, its wines, and wineries.
