Founder • Winemaker • Animal Whisperer • Eagles Fanatic

Jeremy Wentz isn’t your typical winemaker. In fact, he started his career with a stethoscope, not a corkscrew. A seasoned veterinarian and former owner of several busy animal hospitals, Jeremy spent years patching up everything from poodles to pot-bellied pigs. Then one day, he thought, “Why not trade fur and feathers for fermenting fruit?” And just like that—Ransom Ridge Winery was born.

Located in the heart of the Pennsylvania countryside, Ransom Ridge is Jeremy’s passion project turned full-time obsession. The winery gets its name from Captain Samuel Ransom, a local Revolutionary War legend whose bravery inspired the brand—and whose ghost may or may not be haunting the cellar (jury’s still out). Adding to the chaos is Rascal, a slightly unhinged deer who wandered onto the property one day, refused to leave, and is now the unofficial mascot and head of vineyard security.

When Jeremy’s not herding deer or sampling the latest batch of semi-dry magic, you’ll find him hanging out with his four awesome kids, a small zoo of pets, or cheering way too loudly for the Philadelphia Eagles (he literally schedules harvests around game day—seriously). He also has a deep love of fast cars, though he’s been banned from racing Rascal down the vineyard rows.

Part wine guy, part animal guy, part chaos coordinator—Jeremy is the heart and hustle behind Ransom Ridge. And trust us: the wines are just as wild, charming, and unexpected as the guy who makes them.

Owner • Vineyard Manager • Dirt Whisperer • Field Perfectionist

If you've ever driven past the vineyard and thought, “Wow, those rows are straighter than my Aunt Linda's spine after Pilates,” you’ve got Mark Phillips to thank.

Mark is a true local—he’s lived his entire life just down the road and has been farming these fields since before GPS existed (and somehow still has a better internal compass than your phone). The land where Ransom Ridge grapes now grow? That’s Mark’s old stomping ground. And thanks to his lifelong connection to the soil, the vines listen to him like he's some sort of grapevine guru.

A devoted outdoor enthusiast, Mark feels most at home under the sun, in the dirt, and anywhere he can make something grow better, straighter, cleaner, or more impressively than it probably should. His fields are so pristine, rumor has it you could eat off the ground (though he’d rather you didn’t—“That’s topsoil, not a buffet”).

Mark’s secret to success? A sharp eye, a strong back, and just enough caffeine to keep him moving at tractor speed all day. When he’s not working the vineyard, he’s probably hiking, hunting, or fixing something with duct tape and sheer determination.

At Ransom Ridge, Mark is the backbone of the vineyard—keeping the grapes happy, the rows perfect, and the rest of us just a little jealous of how good his fields look.

Co-Owner • Wine Genius • Emergency Vet Extraordinaire • Border Collie Queen

Don’t let the calm demeanor and quiet confidence fool you—Amy Smith is the real force of nature at Ransom Ridge. While husband Jerry is off blogging, singing, or arguing with grapes, Amy is actually the one who knows what she’s doing.

A co-owner of Ransom Ridge and a still-practicing emergency veterinarian, Amy somehow manages to save lives at night, manage a growing winery by day, and still taste wine like she was born in a barrel in Burgundy. In fact, she has more wine certifications than Jerry, though she’s far too classy to brag about it (unlike Jerry, who has a framed diploma collection rivaling a university hallway).

Amy’s palate is legendary. She can taste a wine and tell you the grape, the soil type, what the winemaker ate for lunch that harvest, and whether or not the barrels had daddy issues. If a blend makes it into a bottle at Ransom Ridge, it’s because Amy approved it—sometimes with just a single raised eyebrow.

At home, Amy has two amazing sons in college. One of them moonlights as a vineyard helper, though rumor has it he’s mostly there for snacks. Amy’s true loves, however, might just be their four Border Collies, who are all smarter than Jerry and better behaved than the vines.

Grace under pressure, with a nose for wine and a heart for animals, Amy Smith is the secret sauce of Ransom Ridge—just don’t ask her to tell you that. She’s too busy, too humble, and too good at everything.

Co-Owner • Wine Wizard • Submarine Survivor • Guy with Too Many Degrees

If you took a Navy submariner, a veterinarian, a wine-obsessed guitarist, and a guy who accidentally started a vineyard with his friends… you’d end up with Jerry Smith.

Jerry is one of the proud co-owners of Ransom Ridge Winery, and yes—he’s every bit as interesting as he sounds. He launched his career underwater (literally), serving aboard a nuclear submarine in the U.S. Navy, where he learned discipline, focus, and how to live in a metal tube with 100 other guys. Naturally, he then decided to become a veterinarian, because saving animals was only slightly less dangerous than nuclear reactors.

It was in the wild world of emergency veterinary medicine in NEPA that Jerry met Jeremy Wentz and Amy Smith (who also happens to be his wife, boss, and occasional partner in wine crimes). The trio bonded over late-night animal saves, long shifts, and eventually—wine. So much wine.

Jerry is now the in-house wine scholar, blogger, and professional Finger Lakes fanatic. He has more wine certifications than most sommeliers, and if you’ve got an hour (or three), he’ll happily break down the acidity structure of every vintage Riesling north of Seneca Lake. His blog, “Finger Lakes or Bust,” has exactly 17 loyal followers (all of whom are probably winemakers he’s personally annoyed with detailed tasting notes).

When he’s not researching wine or telling people how Finger Lakes Cab Franc is underrated, Jerry can be found singing and playing guitar, usually while holding a glass of something obscure and mumbling phrases like, “This has notes of minerality, gun flint, and my childhood trauma.”

From submarines to vineyards, Jerry brings passion, depth, and just enough weirdness to keep Ransom Ridge wonderfully offbeat. Trust us—every winery needs a Jerry.

Director of Decibels • Mascot Bodyguard • Chief Vibes Officer

If Ransom Ridge Winery had a theme song, Jen Dayney would be singing it at full volume... with backup dancers, confetti, and a fog machine. As the official Head Cheering Section, Jen is the winery’s one-woman hype squad, party starter, and general ringleader of fun.

She’s also the first voice you’ll hear when you walk in—and let’s be honest, probably the last one you’ll hear when you leave (her volume goes to 11 and stays there). Jen’s enthusiasm is so contagious, we’ve considered bottling it and calling it “Cabernet Chaos.”

Jen is the ultimate ride-or-die for Jeremy’s wild winery escapades. New tasting room on a tractor? She’s in. Goat yoga in the vineyard? She's got the mats. Glitter cannon at harvest? She’s already pulled the pin.

By day, Jen is also a skilled veterinary technician, with an overflowing love for all creatures great, small, and weirdly fluffy. She protects the Ransom Ridge mascots like a mother hen with a walkie-talkie and treats each animal like royalty—probably because they are.

A proud tattoo addict, Jen’s body is a living scrapbook of her adventures, passions, and impulsive Tuesday decisions. Ask her about them, but be prepared for a story that starts with “So there was this donkey…” and ends with “...and that’s how I ended up with a tattoo of a wine glass riding a unicorn.”

She lives in a world of unicorns, butterflies, sparkle, and sarcasm—where the vibes are always high and the wine is always flowing. Her spirit animal is a dragonfly: fast, sparkly, and slightly chaotic in the best way possible.

Come for the wine. Stay for Jen. You won’t forget either.

Winemaker • Scientist • Fire performer • Burlesque queen

Based in the vibrant wine scene of New York, Shahna brings her extraordinary talents, infectious enthusiasm, and enough energy to power a small vineyard to our Pennsylvania crew. Her wine journey began in the prestigious Finger Lakes region, where she mastered the delicate balance between science, artistry, and pretending not to panic when a fermentation tank starts bubbling louder than expected.

Armed with extensive knowledge in enology and viticulture, she transforms our grapes into exceptional wines that tell their own stories—usually dramatic ones, with plot twists and a hint of oak.

What truly sets Shahna apart is her wild mix of experiences. As a fire performer and burlesque dancer, she brings the same flair and precision to winemaking that she does to setting things on fire—safely, most of the time. Her background in medical labs means she approaches every batch with scientific rigor and the kind of focus usually reserved for defusing bombs or separating glitter from grape skins.

This rare blend of artistry, science, and mild chaos allows her to craft wines that are bold, elegant, and occasionally a little sassy. From dry reds that command respect to sweet blends that flirt shamelessly with your taste buds, Shahna makes sure every bottle from Ransom Ridge has personality—and maybe just a touch of sparkle.

Wine Consultant • King of Tawny • Clawhammerist • Probably the Nicest Guy You Know

Peter Bell has been making wine professionally since 1988, which means he’s been fermenting grapes longer than most of us have been fermenting life decisions.

He’s worked in New Zealand and Australia, taught at Cornell, and lectured around the world—but his true legacy lies in the Finger Lakes, where he spent 27 years at Fox Run Vineyards and was crowned “King of Tawny,” presumably after defeating a barrel of port in single combat.

Peter’s wine-tasting technique includes spitting with such force and precision that local birds have learned to duck. Mark Phillips once said Peter reminds him of Einstein, which makes sense—if Einstein had traded relativity for Riesling and played clawhammer banjo between barrel samples.

He’s a serious cook, a world traveler, and the founder of a tasting group so tight-knit it’s basically a wine cult with better snacks. If you ever meet him, prepare to be dazzled by his charm, his science, and the occasional airborne Merlot mist.