Wölffer Estate Vineyard Winemaker Naturalized as U.S. Citizen

Thirty-two years after emigrating from Germany, award-winning Wölffer Estate Vineyard Winemaker Roman Roth officially made the Hamptons his permanent home when he was naturalized as a United States citizen last month.

Roth, the son of a winemaker, grew up in the southwestern German city of Rottweil until he left home at the age of 16 to work as an apprentice at vineyards in Germany, California, and Australia before he got a call from Christian Wölffer, who recruited him to the Sagaponack winery in 1992.

“America was built by immigrants, and it feels great to be a part of this American dream,” Roth told Dan’s Papers. “That’s what makes America great: People of different races and different mindsets come together to work on building something. It feels really nice to be a part of this.”

Roth was among more than 100 immigrants who were naturalized at Central Islip federal court on Dec. 17. Now that he joins his wife and daughter in becoming U.S. citizens, he shows renewed vigor as a champion local vintner.

“I’m very committed to building a great wine region here in New York and make New Yorkers proud of what they’re doing here on Long Island and in the Hamptons,” he said. “Every restaurant in New York should carry New York wines by the glass. And not just a selected few. There’s still lots of work to be done.”