After he grew tired of being on the road, Snyder started a wine importing and distribution company in 2004, and wondered why more New York wine lovers weren't familiar with local products. He decided to experiment with two California winemakers: Abe Schoener and Robert Foley, who would take grapes grown in New York and produce wine with them in Red Hook. Snyder believes that producing wine from winemakers with different styles could help determine what the terroir is in New York — the taste as determined by the geography and climate of where the grapes are grown.