January 6, 2024
The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is saddened by the loss of long-standing judge Bill Hayes. Bob Fraser, Executive Director of the SFCWC states, “Bill was an instrumental veteran judge of the competition that added an extremely high amount of wine expertise to the panels, from his long tenure as category buyer at BevMo and his extensive travels though the wine regions in the world. Bill was one of the warmest, self-effacing, engaging, and personable individuals that I have been proud to associate as a friend. We are dedicating the 2024 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition to Bill Hayes”.
Bill Hayes is the Wine Category Manager/Wine Buyer the growing BevMo! Retail chain of 163 Stores throughout California, Arizona and Washington. With over 35 years of career experience in the Wine Retail industry, Bill has developed key relationships with winery Owners, Winemakers, Growers as well as other industry partners that have cultivated his vast knowledge of and passion for Wines around the world.
Bill’s career in the Wine business began as a Buyer with the Liquor Barn stores. Bill was also a part of the Kendall-Jackson Family Wine organization where he managed the Distributor portfolio that included Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Cambria and Stonestreet Wines. In 1994 Bill joined BevMo! as one of its very first employees as the Corporate Wine Buyer. He has played key roles in the development, launching and fostering of BevMo!’s iconic 5₵ Wine Sale that has grown from one Wine to now over two-hundred. As part of the BevMo! Private Label/Exclusive Wine program, Bill has traveled throughout Europe and South America and Australia to work with Wineries and industry partners to blend and bottle Import Wines such as Zolo and Tapiz, and has blended and developed varietal extensions of the Unruly , Shiloh Road, Michael Pozzan and Stateland Cellars brands. Bill’s current focus with BevMo! is sourcing and developing the premium selection of wines from around the world and promote the local brands for the next-generation BevMo! Consumer.
The Hayes family has had deep roots in the Russian River Valley and its Wine industry for over 50 years. Bill continues that heritage and tradition through his love and passion of Wine, whether it be an approachable bottle or a rare bottle for his vast cellar. If you know Bill, you have been fortunate enough to share in a great bottle of Wine along with a story that truly captures the spirit of the Wine, its origins and the people who made it.