Each Wednesday, The Citizen features someone in the food services industry from the Finger Lakes community in The Banks:

This week, we spotlight Daniel Stevens, the vineyard manager at Long Point Winery.

Q. What is the one wine you cannot live without?

A. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. It is one of the only bottles that no matter the time or place is just such a treat to enjoy.

Q. What is the best food pairing with this wine?

A. Anything from cheese to chicken piccata

Q. If you could hold a tasting for any three people, who would you pick?

A. I would pour wine for my grandfather who passed away when I was 8. He worked so hard when he immigrated from Ireland. Also I'd invite Bill Gates because he could buy a lot of wine and has changed household life across the world, and Alton Brown, because he is by far the coolest Food Network personality who explains the food science behind what we eat.

Q. Fill in the blank. People would be surprised to know that even though I work at a winery, when I am at home in the kitchen, I _________.

A. Roast my own coffee because the quality and flavor is far better than anything you can get. There are actually more flavor compounds and profiles in a cup of coffee than there is in wine.

Q. What do you enjoy most about living in the Finger Lakes region?

A. I am close to family is No. 1. Also, there are four seasons here and each one is beautiful.

Q. If you were given a $1 million to open your own restaurant, describe it and what types of wine you would serve.

A. The restaurant would be one that is unique and would draw people from all over the area. I would have service and consistency be the number one goal. I would probably serve food that was simple but really tasty. Everything would be fresh and local. The bar attached would have good cocktails that complimented the food. The wine list would have good bottles from all over the world as well as a fair share of Finger Lakes wine. I probably would have a winery as well attached to make real “house” wines.

Q. Where would it be located?

A. Maybe on the east side of Cayuga Lake near Ithaca but not too close to Ithaca.

Q. Do you notice more local visitors to the winery than in previous years due to the high price of gas?

A. I notice that we are getting more regional people than before - not necessarily local but from Pennsylvania or Ohio and from the east as well such as Connecticut.

Daniel Stevens

Age: 25

Hometown: Cortland

Family: Three house rabbits, a cat and dog and wife, Lindsay

Education: B.S. in political science from Cortland State

Occupation: Vineyard Manager at Long Point Winery

Hobbies: Sailing, reading,

gardening, coffee roasting and photography