Orchestrator of Happiness
At around six years old, Rob picked his very first grapes on Rhinefarm while riding around in his dad’s pickup truck. When he grew a little older, he worked full-time during his summer breaks from school out in the vineyard. His responsibilities included cultivating and plowing the vineyards, installing irrigation piping, pruning, tying vines, and a wide assortment of other grape farming activities.
After graduating from the University of San Francisco with a B.S. in Marketing, Rob worked for Gundlach Bundschu Winery as the National Sales Manager. A couple of years later, he felt it was time to return to the vineyard, where he helped develop hillside land for a 60 acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard planting. Following this, he decided to take a long sabbatical and would spend the next decade or so traveling, working, and learning about how the world worked — spending time in Florida and Southern California before returning home to the Bay Area and Sonoma.
Today he is back with the winery and serves as the Orchestrator of Happiness, giving public tours, welcoming visitors, doing trade tours, off-site trade events, and contributing in other areas of the business where needed.
In his personal time, Rob enjoys going to the movies and finding peace in the present moment.