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Wine is a product of nature. But nature is rarely
under its very best conditions. Most of the time very
good wine is the product of nature being gently guided
by the hand and wisdom of man. Guiding the land through
its cycles from dormant vines in winter sleep, through
the growing season, the wine making, aging, and finally
bringing the finished wine to the table. The balance
between the product of nature and the guiding of the
hand of man, is the essence of the finest of wines
and the philosophy here at Rombauer Vineyards.
Rombauer Vineyards was founded in
1982 by Koerner and Joan Rombauer and sits on a tree
covered knoll overlooking the Napa Valley. The winery
features caves that extend for over a mile into the
hillside. The caves provide a constant temperature
and humidity which result in optimum conditions for
aging our wines.
Rombauer wines are consistently ranked
high in the wine trade journals. Many of the finest
restaurants throughout the country include Rombauer
wines on their list and feature them by the glass.
The joy of wine is something that's important to Rombauer.
Whether you are a collector of fine wines or like
to have wine with food, wine is something that truly
should be enjoyed. Rombauer Vineyards puts a lot of
hard work and tender care into making drinkable wines.
And because wine is a simple product to enjoy, emphasis
is given to taking the mystique out of enjoying fine
wines.
Our emphasis on the joy of wine comes
from the heritage of the Rombauer family. Koerner's
ancestors made wine in the famous Reingau region in
Germany and his great aunt, Irma Rombauer, wrote the
book The Joy of Cooking. Hence our focus on wine as
complements to good food and good friends. Every family
member is actively involved in the day to day operation
of the winery from selecting grapes for the winemaking
process and getting the wine to market.
We produce several varietal wines,
such as Carneros Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
and Estate Grown Zinfandel from the vineyard below
the winery, and a blended reserve wine called Le Meilleur
Du Chai, which means the Best of the Cellar. At Rombauer
Vineyards, we take the time to hand craft and nurture
our wines. Season after season, year after year. We're
pleased to say the fruits of our labor have paid off.
At wine competitions and where it counts – in
every glass of Rombauer wine.
Greg Graham, Winemaker
Greg Graham was raised in Westlake,
Ohio, near the city of Cleveland. His family owned
a small 10-acre vineyard of Concord grapes that was
under contract with Welch's Foods for use in their
jelly and juice production. Greg spent much time in
his childhood years working in the vineyard with his
father. His early experience in the vineyard would
influence him for years to come.
After leaving the service in 1974,
Greg attended Cleveland State University where he
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical
Engineering. It was during this period that Greg's
interest in winemaking took form. He began making
wine with Concord grapes from the family vineyard,
and later from other varieties obtained through local
growers.
Deciding that winemaking rather than
Mechanical Engineering was his calling, Greg moved
to California in 1980 and entered the Enology Program
at University of California at Davis. Upon graduation
in 1983, he accepted the position of Assistant Winemaker
at Rombauer Vineyards. In 1985 he accepted an Enologist
position with Robert Mondavi Winery; he remained there
until 1988 when Greg returned to Rombauer Vineyards
as Winemaker.
Working closely with Koerner and
the Rombauer family, Greg has been instrumental in
the development of the Rombauer wine style. A hands-on
winemaker, he prefers to spend as much time as possible
in the cellar with his wines. Knowing that grape quality
is the essential ingredient in making the finest wines,
Greg has established long-term contracts with many
highly respected growers in outstanding viticulture
sites.
In his personal life, Greg is an
amateur marathon runner and enjoys cross-country and
mountain biking.
Rob Lloyd, Associate Winemaker
Although wine was an integral part
of each Lloyd family dinner, no one would have guessed
this upbringing would eventually lead him to the Napa
Valley. After graduating from the University of California,
Irvine with an Economics degree, Rob headed to the
Napa Valley to work in the wine business for fun while
deciding what direction he would take his career.
He began at Cakebread Cellars, working in the tasting
room during the day, and the night shift in the cellar.
Eventually he moved to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
where he discovered his unique talent for winemaking.
Eager to learn more, Rob decided
to enroll in the Enology program at the University
of California, Davis where he obtained his Masters
Degree in Enology in 1999. During his schooling, Rob
interned at Kent Rasmussen Winery, gaining first hand
knowledge about winemaking while at Davis.
After graduating, Rob became the
Enologist and then Assistant Winemaker at La Crema
in Sonoma. Wanting to return to the Napa Valley, he
joined Rombauer in 2001, first as Assistant Winemaker
and most recently promoted to Associate Winemaker
in 2005. Rob has earned much notoriety as a true artist
in crafting the Proprietary Line of specialty wines
for Rombauer in addition to overseeing Enology and
Quality Assurance.
Working closely with Winemaker Greg
Graham, Koerner and the Rombauer family, Rob continues
to specialize in developing the Proprietary Line of
Rombauer Vineyards to assure that Rombauer Vineyards
will continue to be regarded as one of the finest
wines in the world.
And to think it all began with a
bottle of Rombauer at the dinner table.
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