We affectionately call her the 'aromatics queen,' because few winemakers can draw out the delicate aromatics of a wine the way she does.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery has named Sarah Gummoe as head winemaker, the Hammondsport producer announced September 15. Gummoe takes charge of winemaking and cellar operations as Mark Veraguth retires after 35 years in the role, marking the most significant leadership change in the cellar in a generation.
The appointment keeps succession inside the house. Gummoe joined Dr. Frank as winemaker in 2024 after nearly a decade working harvests and winemaking roles abroad, and her promotion puts a cool-climate specialist with deep regional roots at the top of one of the Finger Lakes' most influential wineries.
A Rochester native, Gummoe discovered wine through early work at Fox Run Vineyards before earning an undergraduate degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a Graduate Diploma of Oenology from the Eastern Institute of Technology in New Zealand. She worked harvests in Austria, Oregon, New Zealand and Australia, then held winemaking roles at leading producers in Marlborough, New Zealand, before returning to the Finger Lakes. She also completed studies in the UC Davis Winemaking Extension Program and holds WSET Level 3 certification.
"Sarah pairs an exceptional eye for detail with a genuine, people-first approach that shapes the culture of our cellar," said Meaghan Frank, the winery's fourth-generation vice president. "We affectionately call her the 'aromatics queen,' because few winemakers can draw out the delicate aromatics of a wine the way she does, an essential skill for a portfolio built on aromatic whites and especially Riesling. She's the natural choice to carry our commitment to quality and innovation forward."
"My passion for wine was first sparked in the Finger Lakes almost twenty years ago. After years away gaining experience abroad, being able to return home to a winery like Dr. Frank, working with the aromatic varieties this region does so beautifully is genuinely a dream," Gummoe said. "Dr. Konstantin Frank's legacy is foundational to vinifera winemaking here, and I'm honored to help carry it forward."
The move matters beyond one cellar. Dr. Frank remains family-owned and is widely credited with establishing the Finger Lakes as a premier wine region by proving European vinifera grapes could succeed in New York. Handing the winemaking reins to a leader steeped in aromatic whites signals continuity for a portfolio where Riesling remains the calling card.