Winemaker, Proprietor, Marr Cellars, Davis, CA
After moving back to California from Seattle Robert founded Marr Cellars in 1997. In his first year, he produced a Sonoma Old Vine Zinfandel and a blend named Cuvée Patrick after his young son. Robert prefers to work with grapes from older, hillside plantings that fully express the appellation and varietal character. Marr Cellars specializes in small lot, vineyard designated Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and California Rhone Blends.
As a graduate student, Robert worked his way through school. During the summer months, he usually went north to Alaska as a field biologist, and as a commercial fisherman. In the Fall, he returned to Northern California for a cellar position during harvest, or “crush” at Chateau St. Jean, This is when his passion for winemaking came alive. Over subsequent years Robert worked during crush and bottling for several wineries including San Pasqual near San Diego, Andrew Will on Vashon Island near Seattle, and Behrens & Hitchcock Winery in Napa Valley. For a number of years Robert was as a wine steward at Ray’s Boathouse, one of Seattle’s most acclaimed seafood restaurants. He also was a retailer with McCarthy and Schiering, perhaps Seattle’s most venerable wine merchant.
Born in San Francisco, Robert’s family background is mostly French, so the culture of wine and food has been a prevalent lifestyle. 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 purchased property near Sunol in Alameda County. This is where they would plant vines and start their own winery, known by the name Cote d’Or. Jules sold most of his wine to businesses and families in San Francisco’s French community. At that time, other wineries were just getting started in Southern Alameda County, including Concannon, Wente, and Mirassou.