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Born in San Francisco, Bob is a quintessential winemaker. He
is made from the stuff that most writers dream of… hands
on selection of fruit from nurtured relationships, vineyard
sources, crushing one ton at a time, personally monitoring each
fermentation, punching down each lot. Bob then decides when the
process is complete, which barrel to use, and for how
long… He is doing it all himself, and his wines reflect
his passion.
Bob's family background is mostly French, so the culture
of wine and food is a natural lifestyle choice. Two of his
great-grandparents came from wine producing regions in
Southwestern France. Upon arriving in the Bay Area, great
grandfather Jules Roumiguiere and Jules' mother Celestine
Roumiguiere purchased property adjacent to the Water Temple in
Sunol. This was to become the ranch where they would plant vines
and start their own winery, known by the name of Cote
d'Or.
Jules sold most of his wine in bulk to businesses and families
in San Francisco's French community. The largest portion of
the wine that Jules produced was Zinfandel. At that time, other
wineries were just getting started in Southern Alameda County,
including Concannon, Wente, and Mirassou. Bob's grandmother
and great aunt went to school and church at Mission San Jose,
today known as "Warm Springs" by the locals. In 1911,
Jules met an untimely death. The family just could not continue
alone, so their ranch was sold to PG & E.
As a college student, Bob worked his way through Humboldt
State University. During the summer months, he usually went north
to Alaska to work as a field biologist, or he worked on fishing
boats as a fisherman. After each summer season, Bob would return
to Northern California to continue his education. In 1983, Bob
came upon a cellar position for crush at Chateau St. Jean,
working first-hand with Dick Schmidt. This is when his passion
for winemaking came alive. From that point forward until now, Bob
worked crush somewhere every harvest. According to Bob, "I
was moonlighting in the cellar."
Bob received his Master of Science degree in Natural Resources
in 1985. After graduate school, Bob first moved to San Diego, and
then to Seattle, where he continued his fall pattern of working
crush (harvest) at a winery every year.
Bob with Selena and Patrick
This side passion and fascination with the wine industry led to
additional moonlighting as a wine steward and an occasional
position as a wine salesman with a notable wine shop in the area.
This double life continued… vocation by day, avocation by
night, until 1996, when a career opportunity brought Bob back to
Arcata, in Northern California. In 1997, Bob started Marr
Cellars, his first year producing a Sonoma Old Vine Zinfandel and
a Rhone Blend - Cuvee Patrick. Eventually, Bob was employed by
the state, bringing him back to the Central Valley. Bob works in
Sacramento, and has a small winery in Woodland, just north of
Davis, where he resides with his family.
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