Meet the Team!

Nancy Tisch, Owner and Winemaker

Nancy moved to the Finger Lakes in 1998 to assume a one-year post-doctoral position at Cornell University. Several years later, in 2006, she left academia to follow her entrepreneurial spirit. At the time, her vision was to fill a shop in Aurora, NY with food and wine. Under New York state law, retail operations that carry both food and wine are limited to wineries. Nancy sought and found mentors in Lou Damiani and Phil Davis of Damiani Wine Cellars in Hector, NY. She quickly developed her winemaking skills and her own style resulting in numerous state and international awards. Initially, annual production was limited to three or four varietals but has continued to expand based on fruit availability and Nancy’s willingness to try something new. It’s all good.

Kit Kalfs, Partner and Vineyard Manager

Kit grew up in Ohio and received an M.F.A. in Film from Ohio University. He worked in various film and photography laboratories through the 1990’s and frequently vacationing in the Finger Lakes. In 2000, he wanted to change his career path, deciding on the wine industry. He started as a vineyard hand at McGregor Vineyard Winery for the harvest of 2000. In 2001, at Sheldrake Point Winery, he worked as a tasting room associate and, by year’s end, moved up to tasting room manager. Nancy and he met, she started Bet the Farm in 2006, and their journey together began. He left Sheldrake Point in 2012 to join Nancy and BTF full-time. The vineyard they planted in 2018 - Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Saperavi, and Dornfelder - is known as the “Jacob Thomas Vineyard,” in honor of Kit’s father. He & Nancy harvested their first Estate Reds in 2020.