Shop hours
Mon-Fri: 10:00 – 17:00
Sat-Sun: Per Request
– Holidays off –
Robin Akhurst – A native of Scotland, Robin graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in environmental sciences. What started as a casual interest in wine soon became a passion and following graduation, he took a job as a sommelier in one of Edinburgh’s most forward thinking wine-focused restaurants. Fate then took him to London to work for one of the city’s leading independent wine merchants, gaining additional on-the-floor experience selecting, selling and sampling wines from all over the world.
With a desire to get closer to the agricultural aspects of winegrowing, he moved to New Zealand and received a graduate degree in viticulture and enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch. He worked two harvests in Marlborough before continuing his international winemaking road trip, working at Burgundy’s famed Domaine Leflaive and in Australia’s Barossa Valley with Two Hands Winery.
A fortunate suggestion from Michael Twelftree of Two Hands led Robin to accept a harvest position in Napa valley with Thomas Rivers Brown in 2009, working with the team at Outpost Wines on Howell Mountain. Under Thomas’s guidance, he learned to create iconic wines including Schrader Cellars, Maybach and Rivers Marie. Following harvest, Robin took a position to direct the production team at Envy Wines, a winery and custom-crush project established by partners Nils Venge and Mark Carter. For four years, Robin crafted the Envy wines and worked alongside Mike Smith as assistant winemaker for the highly lauded Carter Cellars wines.
Although free time is something Robin’s not too familiar with, when he gets a chance, he enjoys spending time with his wife Aneeta, playing guitar, cycling and soaking in all of the cultural offerings provided by Bay Area living.
Brian Schmaltz – Brian is a native of San Diego, California, and holds both BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering from San Diego State University, specializing in Material Science, FEM, and MEMS processing. He also completed a Business Management Certificate in Global Commerce from the University of California, San Diego.
Initially developing a casual interest in wine, Brian’s career took a turn when he relocated to San Jose, CA, for a job. His subsequent move to Yountville in Napa Valley profoundly impacted his appreciation for food and wine. Volunteering during harvest, he assisted winemakers, learning about the winemaking process and providing music playlists for sorting and punch downs.
Brian currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at NAMICS Technologies Inc. With over 15 years of experience in the semiconductor materials market, he is responsible for forecasting global requirements for advanced materials and driving growth through development and innovation, focusing on the Americas for the global market.
In his spare time, Brian enjoys blending, waxing, labeling, sorting, pump overs, and punch downs. He also plays guitar and vinyl records, engages in deep-sea fishing, and plays golf. He believes,
“Wine is the only artwork you can drink.
