There’s a lot of talk about immigration these days. Wherever you fall in opinion on that topic, one thing is impossible to debate: in addition to the tribal nations native to North America’s lands, we are a country full to the brim — and unequivocally built upon — immigrants from all over the world who’ve come here to make their home and make their way.
On December 17, among those welcomed into the fold as new citizens of the United States of America was one of our own: longtime winemaker and co-owner of Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, Roman Roth.

“I came to America in August 1992 with four suitcases and a guitar as a German citizen,” says Roth. “Christian Wölffer had offered me the job of winemaker at Wölffer Estate and I came here with my wife, Dushy. We got our green cards [for] what was only supposed to be a two or three year adventure …”
But the longer they stayed and the clearer it became to him that the “starter” job was growing into a life’s work, Roth’s path to citizenship began to take shape — especially when he and Dushy decided they wanted to grow their family.
Dushy, an Australian citizen, applied for American citizenship and was granted it in 2003, which allowed the couple to adopt their daughter, Indira, from Sri Lanka, a background Dushy shares with her daughter. Indira was automatically granted U.S. citizenship through the adoption process, says Roth. “The document came in the mail when she was three months old!” That just left him as the sole family member without a U.S. passport.
While Roth had planned to join his wife and daughter as an American citizen, life kept getting in the way. Increasing amounts of work and requisite responsibilities — managing the winery and winemaking, as well as all the travel that accompanies being the face of the brand, a stint as president of the Long Island Wine Council, as well as an active leader and member of the now-defunct Long Island Merlot Alliance, among other commitments and obligations — kept him positioning the application on the back-burner. Then came Covid and the long delays that accompanied the years-long pandemic.
But all along, he was inspired by his wife and daughter, as well as his former boss, Christian Wölffer, who’d also become a U.S. citizen.
“Christian was very German and on top of it was also a fellow Pisces, so we did work very well together. I remember quite well the day he became a U.S. citizen. The feeling he expressed was similar to mine,” says Roth. “I love that this country is built on a mix of people. New York is a fantastic state to live in! I love that anything is possible in this country, with hard work and a little bit of luck.”
Since the get-go at Wölffer, Roth’s held firm to that tenet, and when you consider all the big things the little Sagaponack winery has accomplished it is the culmination of a multitude of big and small and medium-sized dreams come true. Some Wölffer got to see come to fruition, some happened after he passed away in 2009 and his children, Joey and Marc, along with Roth took the reins.



“Christian can be proud of what Wölffer Estate has become. Sometimes I have to pinch myself as it is amazing what we have achieved in such a short time. It is a great feeling that we have a big impact of putting Wölffer Estate and Long Island wine on the world map and that we still have this pioneer spirit and the drive that started it all,” Roth says. “So being able to say I am an American, knowing how many immigrants came before and all helped to make this country what it is today is a great feeling.”
And he’s eager to be part of the process. While he just missed this past presidential election, Roth well knows the particulars of the American governmental system from his studies to pass the exam for citizenship. He submitted his application on June 27, checking all the necessary requisites like five years having a green card and never being convicted of a crime. A month later, he was interviewed by representative of the U.S. government and asked 10 out of a potential 100 questions about the United States, its politics and its constitution, all of which he answered correctly.
On December 17, he was invited to appear at the courthouse in Central Islip and together with about 150 others from 32 nations to swear allegiance and become U.S. citizens.
“It was a very moving moment!” says Roth. “Unfortunately, I missed the election but I look forward to voting the next time. I felt like it was time to put the money where the mouth is. It is not good to be only a back seat driver.”
For Roth, a consummate collaborator, he’s eager to find the things that bring us together.
“Divisiveness is something that is very bad for everybody and for the country. I do like compromise, solution and action. Spreading lies and fear is not helping anybody,” he says. “Democracy is a fragile thing — look what happened in Germany 90 years ago — and one has to be very careful that the rights of all the people are respected.”
Wine, too, has been a great example for him.
“The wine world is competitive but there is also great collegiality. There is definitely a grounding and a feeling of place and absolute pride in our wines and our region and that is the reason why I am still here — through thick and thin — and identify as an American,” he says. “There is a vagabond nature to being an expat and becoming a citizen is cementing a foundation. It is a milestone in one’s life and puts a closure to this ultimate question of where your home is. Well, home is where the heart is!”