Richie Allen
Rombauer Vineyards Senior Director of Winemaking

Richie Allen was raised in Melbourne, Australia, about 40 minutes east of Australia’s famous Yarra Valley wine region. Influenced greatly by his parents, he grew up with a greater appreciation of wine than the average young Australian. In 1996, Richie chose to explore his knowledge in an alternate area of interest, molecular biology and graduated at the top of his class. He was not, however, convinced with the path he had chosen.

It was on a four-month rock climbing holiday to the United States that fate came knocking in the form of an invitation to a day of wine tasting. Richie was so taken and inspired by the Californian wines he tasted that day that it was suddenly clear to him what he needed to do. He promptly returned to Australia and spent the next few years engrossed in winemaking studies at Australia’s prestigious University of Adelaide.

Upon graduation in 2003, he set about gaining as much practical winery experience as possible from top Australian and New Zealand producers including Penfolds, Oakridge, Church Road, and Vavasour.

He eventually found himself back in California, on the doorstep of Rombauer Vineyards to undertake cellar work for the 2004 and 2005 harvests. Richie’s enthusiasm, vast and growing knowledge, and attention to detail were keenly identified, and he was asked to stay on. He was hired as a full-time Oenologist in 2006 and became Assistant Winemaker the following year.

In 2008, he was promoted to Head Winemaker and five years later assumed the role of Director of Viticulture and Winemaking. Richie strives to achieve consistency of style and continual improvement in viticultural and winemaking techniques by melding both traditional and modern approaches. Under his leadership, Carneros Chardonnay has been named in the Top 100 Wines of the World five times by Wine Spectator and is ranked among the Top 10 Chardonnays for 17 consecutive years in Wine & Spirits Restaurant Wine Poll.

Away from the winery, you’re likely to find Richie pursuing his passion for photography and filmmaking. He lives in Napa with his wife, Nat, and their daughter, Violet, who is the frequent target of his lens.