Our People

James Christopher Tracy was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was exposed to art, great wines, and a passionate food culture from an early age.

Christopher attended schools on both the East and West coasts, and after earning a BA in Performing Arts and Philosophy, he moved to NYC to pursue graduate theatre training.

In 1993, with his wife Allison Dubin, he co-founded the Momentary Theatre, a not-for-profit organization that performed in California, New York, Texas, Connecticut and Hungary.

After several years of writing “undercover” restaurant reviews in NYC, on the side, Christopher attended the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, where he graduated first in his class and received a Grand Diplome.

While working as a chef, Christopher continued to pursue his wine education, earning his Sommelier Certificate from the Sommelier Society of America as well as a Higher Certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. He also holds a Certified Wine Educator certification from the Society of Wine Educators.

Christopher first came to Channing Daughters in 1999 as a Wine Club member. In 2001, he began developing several new products and cuvées for the winery. His extraordinary creativity and talent as a winemaker — for which he has since developed an international reputation — was evident from day one, and he quickly became our primary winemaker and a partner in the business.

Christopher approaches winemaking with a chef’s attention to flavor, an artist’s appetite for experimentation and a farmer's respect for the land. He works in small batches, drawing on both ancient and modern practices including field blending, wild yeast fermentation, skin-contact and maceration for white wines and botanical aromatizing for vermouths. Above all, he cherishes the chance to make delicious, surprising wines that create joy and are unmistakably reflective of the place they are from.

Allison was born and raised in New York City and on the East End of Long Island. Her parents encouraged creativity and exposed her and her sister, visual artist Mindy Dubin, to good food and wine at an early age, laying a foundation for a life obsessed with culinary and oenophilic hedonism!

Allison started acting as a child, and spent many years working in the theater, including founding and running the not-for-profit company, The Momentary Theatre, with her husband, partner and now winemaker Christopher Tracy.

A graduate of Trinity College, Allison has acted in, written, directed and produced a variety of theatrical events around the world. Her producing work also includes news, internet and large scale events. In addition, Allison has also worked in PR for visual arts, including two years with artist Robert Indiana. She spent several years reviewing restaurants in New York, and has traveled extensively.

Allison first came to Channing Daughters in 1999 as a member of our Wine Club and — to our great delight and benefit — has never left. She is now the Chief Operating Officer and a partner in the company.

Allison is proud to be a part of this challenging, creative and quality-driven team. She loves being a full-time resident of the East End of Long Island and mother of Cooper, Twyla and Talula.

Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Abel has been working at Channing Daughters since 1996. He and his wife, Jacoba Bonilla, met, got married, and raised their three children here.

Abel is the master of the vineyard. He and his team work year-round tending our 28 acres of vines. They know every inch of the property and have a deep knowledge of the land and grapes. Abel oversees the harvest and works alongside our winemaker Christopher Tracy to hand pick, press and bottle every vintage.

Abel loves living and working on the East End and is a proud resident of Sag Harbor. When Abel isn't at work, he likes to spend time with his wife and kids, Jon, Shayla and Max. He enjoys living close to the beach. In the summertime, he can be found fishing for bluefish and striped bass or playing soccer.

Laura was born and raised in Southampton, New York. She has worked with children, in a flower shop, as a gardener, and prior to working at Channing Daughters, she spent twelve years as the Assistant Manager at Almond Restaurant in Bridgehampton.

She joined the Channing Daughters team in 2013 and quickly became an integral member of our community. Anyone who has been greeted by Laura at the tasting room can attest to her warmth and grace. She goes above and beyond every day to ensure our guests and Wine Club members have an exceptional experience. She will remember your name, and your daughter's name, and which rosé you like best.

In her free time, Laura can be found at the beach or in her garden. She also enjoys cooking, learning new recipes, and reading.

The youngest of the four Channing Daughters, Nina grew up just a stone’s throw from the winery and spent her childhood playing in the vineyard with her sisters and stomping grapes during harvest time.

In her early twenties, she began working in the Channing Daughters tasting room and pursuing a formal wine education, studying first with our former CEO Larry Perrine and eventually earning a certificate from the Sommelier Society of America.

After graduating from Wesleyan University, she pursued a career as a journalist, working first as a reporter for The East Hampton Star and later as a staff editor at The New York Times.

In 2026, Nina moved back to Bridgehampton to take on the role of Director of Hospitality at Channing Daughters and to help shape the next chapter of the family business.

Molly Seagrave Channing was born in Rome, Italy and raised in Connecticut and Maine, the second of four daughters. Her early life involved extensive international travel and training in music, art, and drama. She graduated from Dickinson College with a double major in English and Music and went on to have careers in business with Booz, Allen and Hamilton and media companies including Home Box Office where she directed corporate public relations for 10 years.

Molly married Walter Channing in 1990 in a beautiful celebration in the vineyard and joined him in building Channing Daughters.

Walter’s two daughters, Francesca and Isabella, from a prior marriage, were the initial namesakes of the winery. Molly and Walter went on to have two more daughters, Sylvia and Nina, so the name remained the same!

Molly is a beloved member in the East End community and a devoted steward and champion of Channing Daughters.

Her deep commitment to the local community is reflected in her involvement with many local organizations including Board of Directors positions with the Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum and The Choral Society of the Hamptons. Molly is a fantastic cook and generous host. When she is not chatting with guests at the Channing Daughters tasting room, she can be found swimming in the bay, tending to her bountiful heirloom tomato garden, spending time with her grandchildren, or completing a New York Times crossword puzzle (always in pen, and often at a dizzying speed).

Born and raised among the orange groves of Orange County, California, Larry developed an early fascination with plants and agriculture. He studied soil science at California State Polytechnic University before pursuing advanced studies in soil science and microbiology in Minneapolis.

A growing interest in wine and grape growing led him to Cornell’s graduate program in enology and viticulture, where he began intensive study of Long Island’s soils, climate and wines.

After completing his graduate work in 1985, Larry moved to Long Island’s North Fork to work at Mudd Vineyard. He later became a research viticulturist for Cornell and developed the region’s first formal grape research program. From 1988 to 1994, he made wine at Gristina Vineyards in Cutchogue. His consulting work has since taken him to vineyards and wineries across the Northeast and beyond, and he has taught at Manhattan’s International Wine Center and in the Master of Wine training program.

Larry is widely regarded as one of Long Island’s preeminent experts on viticulture and soil science. His knowledge, passion and incredible generosity as a teacher and advisor earned him the affectionate nickname “The Guru.”

In 1995, he partnered with Walter Channing to help shape the vision for Channing Daughters and served as the CEO of the business for 30 years. In that time, he grew the business from a small family start-up to a respected producer of world-class wines. He also helped to develop the Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing program to promote environmental responsibility and stewardship.

Though Larry retired in 2025, he continues to consult and remains an important member of the Channing Daughters family. This place would not exist without him.

Walter Channing was born and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts, where he developed an early fascination for trees.

After graduating from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he moved to New York City, where he built a career as a venture capitalist while continuing to pursue his interest in trees and developing a practice as a wood sculptor.

In 1977, Walter bought a potato farm on Scuttlehole Road in Bridgehampton, where he built a home, an art studio, and a sculpture garden and later planted our first Chardonnay vines in 1982.

Walter's artistic spirit, love for the land, and passion for gathering people together inspired his vision for the winery, which he built alongside his wife, Molly, and named after his four daughters, Francesca, Isabella, Sylvia, and Nina.

A lovable troublemaker with a twinkle in his eye, Walter spent his life making extraordinary — and often playful — works of art, many of which still grace our tasting room and grounds. His iconic inverted tree sculptures have become local landmarks and were the inspiration for the Channing Daughters logo.

Walter's legacy lives on in his four daughters and is imbued in every inch of the property.

More can be found about Walter in his New York Times Obituary, his 1992 interview in The Paris Review, and here.