Editors
Denice Karamardian, Editor (Editor Book Review)
Denice recently retired from overlapping careers in performance, voice teaching, and radio host/producer. For two decades she also worked for the Finger Lakes Wine Gazette, as ad manager and columnist while operating her B&B in Ithaca. In 2022, Denice launched the Finger Lakes Libations with the help of Nancy Tisch and, in 2024, she published the ‘Odar’ Series, historical fiction trilogy depicting the true story of her Middle Eastern ancestors’ immigration from Syria and settlement in the Finger Lakes.
Nancy Tisch, Wine Editor (Editor Book Review, Ice Wine, Obit Ruth Lucas, Wine Press)
We usually find Nancy in the tasting room of Bet the Farm Winery. After careers in academia and hospitality, she founded Bet the Farm Winery in 2006, for which she is the winemaker. She also
worked at GENEX, as a research scientist until retiring June, 2021. (For curious minds, GENEX is a company that makes cryopreserved straws of semen for artificial insemination of dairy and beef cattle). The timing coincided with Nancy’s personal journey from technical to journalistic endeavors and she was excited to brainstorm for the birth of Finger Lakes Libations. Nancy provides a heartbeat for the publication with her finger on the pulse of Finger lakes wine news and trends.
Finger Lakes Libations welcomes new staff
Phil Carstens (Twisted Rail Brewing; The Quest for Vintage: Ian Barry)
Phil is a creative professional with over 20 years of experience in graphic design, photography, and writing. His passion for wine was born in California, while working with a local nonprofit to design the Food & Farm Guide, an annual publication promoting the region's farms, ranches, and vineyards. In 2022, he relocated to Trumansburg, New York, to be closer to family and works as a real estate agent with Warren Real Estate. Phil enjoys gardening, hiking, playing guitar, and expanding his wine knowledge through tastings on the Cayuga and Seneca Lake Wine Trails. He is the author of the 2024 online Harvest Report on fingerlakeslibations.com.
Christian J. Mercado Acevedo (New FLX Distillery Tasting Rooms; NYs Beer Industry; FLX Breweries Win Medals)
Christian brings a wealth of expertise in beer and spirits backed by a robust academic and professional foundation. An Industrial Engineer (B.S.) and holder of a Master of Food Science (MFS) from Cornell University specializing in beer and spirits, Christian is also certified in Food and Beverage Management (Cornell University), and the Business of Craft Brewing (Portland State University). An experienced homebrewer for over 14 years and a distiller for the past five years, Christian has transformed his passion into practice and is the creator and host of The Food Engineer Podcast, a Spanish-language podcast dedicated to exploring fermented foods and beverages, as well as the host of Maestros Cerveceros, an acclaimed podcast from the Master Brewers Association of the Americas focused on the technical aspects of brewing. Christian also collaborated with the Cornell Maple Program to develop a Maple Syrup Liqueur, showcasing his innovative spirit and dedication to product development. In 2022, Christian founded Caldamentum, a Food and Beverage consulting company, to assist businesses in planning, operations, product development, and professional communication for a competitive market. Based in Ithaca, NY, Christian is an ardent advocate of the Finger Lakes region, enjoying outdoor pursuits like cycling, cooking and hiking.
CURRENT CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dee Calvasina (Making History in Geneva)
Dee is the author of “Beyond the Fence, The Amazing World of Deer Haven Park”, a freelance writer, speaker, and monthly columnist for the Finger Lakes Times. Find her at www.deeclavasina.com or follow her author’s page on FaceBook. She has written for FLX Libations in 2023 and 2024 with pieces on Hammondsport and Deer Haven Park.
Jade Ferrante (Spotted Lanternfly, Grisamore Cider Works)
Jade Ferrante is from Long Beach, New York and is in her third year at Ithaca College. She is a Writing major and an English minor. She is the current intern for Finger Lakes Libations. Her favorite forms of fiction are either absurdist, horror, and/or epistolary.
Demi Perry, PhD(Nancy Irelan’s Red Tail Ridge Winery)
Demi earned her doctorate in Food Science & Technology studying with Dr. Gavin Sacks. She has worked in the wine industry in varying capacities: as a tasting room associate at Vintages Fine Wine in Arlington Heights, IL; as a cellar assistant at Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery in Centre Hall, PA; and as a cellar assistant with responsibilities in the laboratory and vineyard at Heart & Hands Wine Company in Union Springs, NY on the East Side of Cayuga Lake. Demi received her Master’s degree from Penn State in Food Science studying consumer perception of odorants found in Vitis labruscana grapes. The main goal of her PhD work was to produce a premium red wine from Concord grapes by selectively removing the grape-derived compounds that give Concord its distinct flavor. In her spare time, Demi enjoys hiking, cooking, and gardening-all with her dog, Pretzel.
Jen Littlefield (Sheldrake Point Winery, Cab Franc)
Jen Littlefield moved to Ithaca in 2017 to learn how to make wine. She joined the Sheldrake Point harvest team in the fall and stayed on through the winter pruning, tying, barreling, and bottling season as well. During that time, she fell in love with the Finger Lakes and its community, and bought the Black Walnut Bed & Breakfast on Covert Rd. Her new favorite thing is to make sure guests leave the Inn with a full belly and the perfect tasting itinerary to show off our great wines and beautiful scenery. Jen has completed WSET Level 3.
NEW GUEST WRITERS
IN EVERY ISSUE!
Finger Lakes Libations is always looking for new writers and contributors.
Contact Denice if you are interested in becoming part of our team.
