As a third generation Napa native, it is no surprise that Rob Lawson has cultivated a passion for wine and winemaking. Rob’s father and grandfather precede him in their involvement in the wine industry. Rob’s grandfather was Vice President of Nestle Corporation when they purchased the famed Beringer Winery in the late 1960’s and became Beringer’s first president, blazing the path for future generations. Rob’s father is a grape grower and has held positions as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for many top wineries in Napa Valley, including; Robert Mondavi, Louis Roederer and Trefethen.

 

Rob graduated from California State University, Fresno with a degree in Plant Science, and an emphasis in Viticulture and Enology.  He began his wine career at Sebastiani Vineyards as a Lab Technician.  In 1993 he assumed the assistant winemaker/enologist position at Napa Wine Company.  Soon afterward, he accepted the position of General Manager/ Winemaker at J.Fritz Winery in Sonoma.  In May of 1998 he returned to Napa Wine Company as General Manager.  As one of the largest and most highly respected custom crush facilities in Napa Valley, Rob soon took on the position of CEO of Napa Wine Company where he oversaw the production of more than 60 wine labels.  His responsibilities included the day-to-day operations of one of the largest wineries in Napa Valley, contract negotiations with clients, harvest scheduling and turning the business into a profitable custom crush facility.  Just a few of the highly sought after wines from California, produced while Rob was CEO, are Pahlmeyer, Bryant Family, Colgin, Blankiet, and Staglin.  Over the course of Rob’s 15 years in the industry, he has had the privilege of working with some of the most prominent winemakers of the world, such as Helen Turley, Paul Hobbs and Heidi Peterson Barrett.  Managing the top custom crush facility in California, Napa Wine Company has given Rob the experiences necessary to understand all aspects of wine consulting: from grape growing to contract negotiations, from wine production and packaging to sales & marketing.

 

Rob and his wife, Pavi, founded PAVI WINES in 1998.  The Combination of Rob’s knowledge of the wine industry and Pavi’s passion for her Italian heritage was the inspiration behind the creation of PAVI WINES. As the winemaker for PAVI WINES, Rob seeks to “capture the true varietal and regional character of the varietal by pairing New World technology with traditional techniques” to create wines that are both fruity and robust in flavor and texture. Production is currently at 8000 cases of both Dolcetto and Pinot Grigio, all organically grown.

 

In January of 2004, Rob chose to venture off into the world of consulting.  Since, he has built a successful reputation founded on superb grape growing practices, his unique philosophy and his passion and expertise in all parts of the industry. Rob’s clients include Napa Wine Company, Aetna Preserve, Fisticuffs, Johndrow Vineyards, Mirror, and Vines of Mendoza.