Cynthia Rosicki (née Senko) ’82

Member of Adelphi University’s Profiles in Success program.

Co-founder and Owner of Sparkling Pointe Vineyards
sparklingpointe.com

Sparkling Success

Wines are judged on many things: taste, aroma, color, depth, and complexity.  When Cynthia Rosicki’s Sparkling Pointe 2004 Topaz Imperial won 1st place at the 2008 Wine Literary Awards in San Francisco, she could undoubtedly sense her long-held dream coming true.

But success is nothing new for this well-known legal innovator.  After graduating with her degree in drama and political science from Adelphi, Ms. Rosicki went on to New York Law School, eventually building her own law firm from the ground up.  Today Rosicki, Rosicki, & Associates stands as one of the most prestigious mortgage banking law firms in New York State.

This would leave one to wonder: how did this accomplished litigator break into the wine business?  “Life took me in a different direction,” says Ms. Rosicki, one closer to her roots.  “My family had a house on Long Island’s north fork, where the first winery was planted over 40 years ago.”  A current resident, she has witnessed the north fork’s wine development first-hand, from its inception to where it stands today, a region renowned for its vineyards.

After years immersed in the beauty and tranquility of country life, she decided she no longer wanted to just enjoy it, she wanted to be a part of it: “I thought, I would love to have a vineyard out here,” she says.

Ms. Rosicki – who has a proven track record for having a vision and making things happen – set out to make this dream a reality.  In just four years, she and Tom, her husband and business partner, transformed a vacant 12-acre parcel of land in Southold into an award-winning vineyard.

Today she and her husband are owners of Sparkling Pointe, New York State’s only winery dedicated to the production of sparkling wine.  They are swiftly proving that the region can produce fine sparkling wines, in addition to more conventional whites and reds.  As Howard G. Goldberg of The New York Timessays, Sparkling Pointe is setting “a new stage for the wine industry on Long Island.”

With their first releases receiving numerous accolades from critics, Ms. Roskicki and her husband can already taste the fruits of their labor.  At the prestigious 2009 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition, their 2000 Brut Seductionsurpassed the reputable Californian French-rooted competition; their sparkling wine earned the Best of Class and Sweepstakes Award, unequivocally placing Long Island on the world map of sparkling wines for the first time.  “I’m proud of Long Island, the vineyard, and our product,” she says.

The recipe for Ms. Rosicki’s self-made success, as both lawyer and vintner, has been a combination of hard work and determination.  While someone could easily be worn out just thinking about her workload, it doesn’t seem to faze Ms. Rosicki.  Her passion, as always, shines through:  “It’s work, yes, but it’s fun,” she says.  “I want to do the very best, and produce a fine, fine product.”

It’s been an amazing journey for Ms. Rosicki – and it’s just beginning.  As she and her husband work toward their goal of reaching a 10,000 case limit per year, they continue to increase distribution channels to sell their wine.  Today Sparkling Pointe products can be found in restaurants and retail stores across New York, spanning the North Fork to Manhattan.  With the winery’s completion of its beautiful wine center, designed to host tastings and events, Sparkling Pointe is ready for business.

This fall, Ms. Rosicki welcomed her alma mater to be a part of the winery’s exciting beginnings.  Adelphi University’s North Fork Wine Tour was privileged to be the very first group of visitors to experience everything Sparkling Pointe has to offer, and taste all that Ms. Rosicki has accomplished.

In addition to her role as owner of Sparkling Pointe, Ms Rosicki continues to serve as partner of Rosicki, Rosicki, & Associates.  Her firm, which has fostered a unique culture of service and opportunity, has been recognized as an employer of distinction by Fannie Mae and the New York State Disability Employment Award.  She serves on the board of directors of the Kosciuszko Foundation, and the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC)Realty board of directors.  She is also active in the organizations “Help the Homeless” and “Gift of Life.”