Robert Young

What Robert Young does

Robert Young Estate Winery is a privately held, family-owned estate winery located at 5102 Red Winery Road in Geyserville, California, within the Alexander Valley AVA of Sonoma County. Founded in 1997 by Fred Young as the commercial wine production arm of a family farming operation dating to 1858, the winery operates with 1–10 employees and produces premium estate wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, and small-lot varietals. The estate's proprietary viticultural foundation includes 317 planted acres of the Clone 17 Chardonnay that Robert Young co-developed with UC Davis in 1985, and the original 1963 Cabernet Sauvignon planting that established Alexander Valley's premium grape reputation. Current leadership is multi-generational: 6th-generation Winemaker Matt Michael, 5th-generation Sales & Marketing Manager Robert Young, Vineyard Manager Dan Rotlisberger, and 4th-generation President & CEO Jim Young.

The business model is direct-to-consumer, anchored by the appointment-only Scion House tasting room (opened 2018), a three-tier wine club (Heir, Successor, and Relative memberships delivering 12–48 bottles annually at 10–20% discounts), an online store shipping via UPS Ground, and a private events business for weddings and corporate gatherings. Five tasting experiences are priced from $50 (Estate Flight) to $500 (Dirt to Bottle family-led experience), with fees often waived on qualifying bottle purchases. Additional revenue streams include estate-hosted events such as the Summer Concert Series, harvest dinners, and tractor tours. Distribution is restricted to U.S. states where direct wine shipment is legally permitted, and a 2026 Barcelona to Rome wine cruise partnership with ETM Wine Tours marks the company's first international experiential outreach.

The winery's competitive position rests on heritage rather than scale: its Cabernet program receives 90+ point ratings on reserve bottlings (Bob's Burn Pile, Thomas Meek, Silas), and the 1975 Chateau St. Jean Robert Young Vineyard Chardonnay was the first vineyard-designated wine released in the United States. All barrel programs use French oak exclusively, with 24-month aging and 2–3 blending stages post-malolactic fermentation. The 2025 recognition by the Sonoma County Farm Bureau for 167 years of continuous family farming underscores the company's primary brand asset: generational continuity on a single estate.

Name

Robert Young

Legal name

Robert Young Estate Winery

Website

https://ryew.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Robert Young Estate Winery is a sixth-generation family-owned estate winery in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay via direct-to-consumer tasting room, wine club, and online sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Estate Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

akta.pro primary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB), Wine Bars (CRANACAE)

Keywords

• Estate winemaking
• Premium wine production
• Wine club memberships
• Vineyard management
• Wine tasting experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Geyserville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of estate wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, and small-lot varietals. Wines sold through tasting room, online, and wine club shipments.
2. Wine Club Memberships: Three-tier membership program (Heir, Successor, Relative) with 3 shipments per year. Tiers offer 10-20% discounts, complimentary tastings, flat-rate shipping, priority access to limited wines, and exclusive events. Minimum 3-shipment commitment required.
3. Tasting Experiences: Paid tasting experiences at Scion House including Estate Flight ($50), Scion Experience ($85), Ultimate Cabernet Experience ($150), Vineyard Tour & Lunch ($175), and Dirt to Bottle experience ($500). Fees often waived with bottle purchases.
4. Private Events: Weddings, corporate events, and private lunches/dinners hosted at Scion House venue overlooking Alexander Valley.
5. Estate Events: Public events including Summer Concert Series, release dinners, harvest dinners, tractor tours, and member pick-up parties with wine sales by glass or bottle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Robert Young Estate Winery is a sixth-generation family estate in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, that hand-farms its own vineyards and produces premium estate wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, and small-lot varietals. The winery sells its wines directly to consumers through an on-site tasting room (Scion House), an online shop, and a three-tier wine club, and earns additional revenue from paid tasting experiences, private events (weddings, corporate), and seasonal estate events such as concerts, harvest dinners, and vineyard tours.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Robert Young Estate Wines Estate-grown premium wines from Alexander Valley, including the Scion Cabernet Sauvignon program, Estate Chardonnay, Merlot, Bordeaux blends, and small-lot varietals (e.g., Bob's Burn Pile, Thomas Meek, Silas). Sold through the tasting room, online shop, and wine club to individual wine enthusiasts and collectors. Reserve Estate Cabernets have earned 90+ point ratings.
• Wine Club Membership Three-tier subscription membership (Heir, Successor, Relative) shipping wines three times per year to US states where direct shipping is permitted. Includes 10–20% discounts, flat-rate shipping, complimentary estate tastings, customizable orders, priority access to limited wines, and exclusive events. Requires a minimum 3-shipment commitment.
• Tasting Experiences at Scion House Curated, appointment-only tasting experiences at the Scion House overlooking Alexander Valley, including Estate Flight ($50), Scion Experience ($85), Ultimate Cabernet Experience ($150), Vineyard Tour & Lunch ($175), and the family-led Dirt to Bottle experience ($500). Offered Wednesday–Monday at 11AM, 1PM, or 3PM. Tasting fees are often waived with bottle or case purchases, and discounts apply to wine club members.
• Private Events at Scion House Private event hosting at the Scion House venue, including weddings, corporate events, private lunches and dinners, and group tastings for 13+ guests. Group tastings are priced $55–$175 per person depending on the experience chosen; bookings are coordinated through the events team ([email protected]).
• Estate Events Programming

Quantifiable outcome

• First vineyard-designated wine released in the United States (1975)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• University of California, DavisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1985Robert Young and his son Jim partnered with UC Davis to propagate the now-famous Clone 17 Chardonnay grape. Highly sought after by premium wineries, the vineyard grew to 317 planted acres, becoming one of the largest family-owned growers in Alexander Valley.
• Chateau St. JeancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1975Chateau St. Jean released the Robert Young Vineyard Designated Chardonnay in 1975, gaining national acclaim. Recognized by winemaker Dick Arrowood for its exceptional fruit, it became the first Vineyard Designated wine released in the United States and was featured in top restaurants nationwide.
• Pembroke StudiosminorOthersDesign partner responsible for website design and brand visuals.
• Wildly SimpleminorOthersPhotography partner for website and marketing materials.
• ETM Wine ToursminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel partner organizing wine tours including the 2026 Barcelona to Rome cruise with Robert Young family as hosts.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frog's Leap Winery: Family-owned, estate-grown Rutherford/Napa winery renowned for sustainable/organic viticulture and appointment-based tastings. Mirrors Robert Young's estate-level craftsmanship, sustainable farming, and hospitality-led DTC model.
• Chateau St. Jean: Sonoma County estate winery with strong Chardonnay program and vineyard-designation heritage; historically released the first US vineyard-designated Robert Young Chardonnay. Overlapping viticulture and varietal focus.
• Silver Oak Cellars: Premium Cabernet-focused producer with an Alexander Valley estate, tasting room experiences, and a robust wine club. Comparable estate-grown, DTC, premium Alexander Valley positioning to Robert Young.
• Stag's Leap Wine Cellars: Premium estate winery focused on Cabernet Sauvignon with tasting-by-appointment and a wine club. Comparable ultra-premium Cabernet positioning and family/legacy-driven storytelling.
• Pride Mountain Vineyards: Family-owned estate on the Sonoma/Napa border producing premium Cabernet, Merlot, and Chardonnay with reserved tasting experiences. Comparable small-estate, premium, family-led premiumization.
• Jordan Vineyard & Winery: Family-owned estate winery in Alexander Valley producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay with an appointment-only tasting program and wine club. Highly comparable DTC premium model and direct Alexander Valley geography.
• Caymus Vineyards: Family-operated Napa Cabernet specialist with the Special Selection as a flagship. Similar family-driven premium Cabernet identity, wine club, and tasting experiences.
• Daou Vineyards: Family-owned estate in Paso Robles producing premium Cabernet and Chardonnay with appointment tastings and a wine club. Comparable family-led, estate-grown, premium-tier positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Joseph Phelps Vineyards: Multi-decade Napa-focused producer of premium Cabernet and Insignia blend, with vineyard-designation heritage and DTC hospitality. Comparable premiumization trajectory though at materially larger scale.
• Francis Ford Coppola Winery: Larger Sonoma/Geyserville-adjacent producer with extensive DTC tasting, hospitality, and wine club footprint. Wider portfolio but overlapping DTC and experiential tourism dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/robertyoungwine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Robert Young