Well-traveled and athletic, he is master of all he surveys. His 170-acre spread in Sagaponack hosts the Wölffer Estate Winery, a straw-colored, Tuscan-style building that overlooks rows of thriving grapevines and his Wölffer Estates Sagpond Stables and Equestrian Center, which is used for schooling, breeding, year-round boarding and instruction.

Wölffer grew up in Hamburg, Germany and is fluent in four languages. He was introduced to the Hamptons by friends in the ‘70s after moving to New York City. In 1978 he bought a small, two-bedroom house on fourteen acres of what used to be a potato farm.

The question was what to do with the land. He knew very little about potatoes and had little interest in growing vegetables. In the mid ‘80s he started a nursery, which was mostly destroyed when Hurricane Gloria hit the East End in 1985.

While helicopter skiing with his children in Austria, he met Allan Stillman, CEO and Founder of Smith & Wollensky. In the States the Stillmans invited the Wölffers to dinner and served wine from grapes they had grown on four acres of land in Sagaponack. It was quite good and gave Wölffer the idea embark on his current enterprise.

The few trees saved from Gloria’s wrath were pulled up and fifteen acres of chardonnay grapes were planted. Little by little the vineyard grew. “I bought more and more land and my presence became bigger and bigger as I bought more pieces.”

Quietly tucked within 170 acres of grapevines, winery and horse farm is what Christian Wölffer describes as his “comfortable farmhouse.” If there is one word to describe this lovely home, it is elegant.

The main house was gracefully expanded from its original size and is bathed in light. It is filled with art and objects of affection from Wölffer’s colorful history and his world travels. Family photos are placed throughout.

An appealing feature of this house is its space. The public areas have been carefully divided for easy living. “The house has a lot of different areas so if guests or family visit, there are many different areas to sit and read or watch television or hang out.” Though the house appears modest by East End standards, it is deceptively large, with seven bedrooms and baths in roughly 6,000 square feet. The main house is surrounded by several smaller traditional structures that have been converted to a pool house, a pond house and a recreational building.

Wölffer didn’t work with an architect, nor did he hire a decorator for its tasteful interior. “It was all done by me without any major money. It was a process started in 1978. It’s still my hobby. My former wife, Naomi, influenced the interior style. She is English and set the tone.” Their agreement at the time was that she would design the interior and he would design the exterior. Wölffer believes, “You either have taste or you don’t and, of course, taste is often dictated by the funds one has available. I love to buy things and put them together. I have collected a lot of art from around the world and have created spaces around them.”

His favorite room is the kitchen, which is clearly the heart of the house. He loves to cook and this is where family and friends gather for large informal meals. It boasts high ceilings and is filled with the accoutrements of an ambitious, working chef. The long table seats fourteen and is often filled for lunch.

Wölffer loves to be outdoors, therefore the living areas of the house extend to gracious outdoor decks, used for dining and relaxing. They look out over a pond and his
magnificent horse farm.
While some of his time is spent in Europe—his family is still there—and Latin America, where he has horses, Wölffer is in Sagaponack six to eight months of the year. Lately, he has considered becoming involved in Argentina’s wine industry. “They are making excellent wines for much better prices. This is still a dream of mine,” he says.

How is the Hamptons different from other places he has lived? Wölffer likes the idea of being close to a big city and yet having the ocean and the country. “We have everything within miles—golf, water sports, everything handy and a wonderful life. I like to be here year round. I think the Hamptons are as beautiful in winter as in summer.”

In summer, he spends time at the beach and plays tennis. “I also read quite a bit. As we all get older, we need to do something new. As a child, I played the piano, the flute and the accordion—I am learning to the piano again.”

And what might be a perfect Hamptons day for Christian Wölffer? “I wake up in the morning, go to the ocean for a great swim, eat breakfast then ride my horse. I have a great lunch outside, drink a little wine, have fun and then… a good siesta.”