Damianos, prominent Long Island winemaker, crash victim

Jason Damianos

Services were held Thursday for Jason Damianos, a prominent member of the Long Island wine industry.

Damianos, 49, owner of Jason's Vineyard in Jamesport, died as a result of a head-on automobile crash on Route 58 in Riverhead last Friday.

He was the son of the late Dr. Herodotus “Dan” Damianos, who founded Pindar Vineyards in Peconic in the early 1980s.

The younger Damianos held a degree in business administration from the University of Hartford and a degree in enology from Fresno State University. He was further educated in France, under the Diplôme National d’Oenologue program at the University of Bordeaux, and worked in several French wine regions. He returned to Long Island in 1996 and planted Jason’s Vineyard and headed winemaking at the family’s vineyards on the East End.

"Jason was charismatic and passionate about life and wine on the East End. He will be missed by our wine community and it is a shame to have lost him at such a young age," said Juan Eduardo Micieli-Martinez, of Martha Clara Vineyards. And, said Roman Roth of Wolffer Estate, "He was a passionate and dedicated winemaker and vineyard owner. He always was generous and he loved the Long Island wine region. His passing is a sad loss for all of us."

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