Meet The Family
Kevin | Barbara | Ivan | Ryan | Ajax | Mark | Kristin | Nouri | Craig
Kevin Brown is a 30 year veteran of the wine industry, and has handled all aspects of the business including, winemaking, sales, marketing, distribution strategies and brand-building/promotion. In keeping with the R&B Cellars philosophy, Kevin believes that drinking wine should be fun, and like music, is a creative pursuit. He is the winemaker for R&B Cellars, and is a frequent educator and lecturer on winemaking and brand strategies in the industry. His passion and respect for winemaking as an art are but one of the many drivers that feed his consistent success in the industry.
An accomplished jazz musician hailing from Manhattan, Kevin's love of wine brought him into the industry where he successfully grew such brands as Rosenblum Cellars, Marques de Murrietta and Codorinu. In 1990, Kevin created California Classics, a New Hampshire-based distribution and marketing firm that helped bring Rosenblum Cellars from 7,000 to 130,000 cases annually.
While serving as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Sixto, Inc. in New York, Kevin successfully led the re-emergence of the Marques de Murrietta brand, bringing these wines into highly visible positions in both the consumer and high-end restaurant markets.
Prior to this, Kevin served as National Sales Manager to Joseph Victori Wines of New York and devised the strategy and growth of the Codorniu brands in the U.S. His multi-region strategy grew the brand seven-fold in under five years.
Kevin is married to his wife Barbara and has two sons, Ivan and Ryan. As a jazz pianist, singer and songwriter, he frequently performs with his jazz singer wife. He holds a BA from Columbia University in New York with a concentration in Economics and continues his education in oenology in California and throughout the world.
Barbara is partner and assistant wine maker for R&B Cellars. Along with Kevin, Barbara works in the marketplace with wholesalers and at industry tasting events. She maintains the website and plans and coordinates the many winery events the family holds at their Alameda home and at their new Alameda facility at Alameda Point Vintners at Rock Wall Wine Company. She also travels with Kevin to do winemaker dinners where the two often perform jazz standards together, Kevin on piano and Barbara on vocals.
As a New York City native, musician, and visual artist, Barbara faced significant life changes in 2004: moving from New York to California, marrying Kevin, and becoming an owner, managing partner and assistant winemaker in R&B Cellars. Until that point, however, Barbara had a career centered around music. She began her career as a professional flutist, but over time became increasingly drawn to the classroom: her flute playing career ultimately giving way to music education and choral directing. As a Kodaly music educator, Barbara taught children from the elementary levels through high school and for several years on the college level at New York University's Kodaly Summer Certification Program. She has directed choruses of all ages as well - elementary, middle, high school, and adult choruses. Barbara also has a long history of performing in choral and vocal groups. She currently performs with Kevin in the prestigious San Francisco Bay Area Chamber Choir.
As a visual artist, Barbara took advantage of the academic calendar and for many years immersed herself in collage painting and jewelry making during the summer months. What started out so many years ago as a hobby has now turned into a part time career as Barbara juggles her time between the winery and running her own artisan jewelry company, Barbara Brown Designs. Barbara's medium of choice is Precious Metal Clay, which allows her to combine her love of collage with precious metal. She is currently in Lireille Gallery for Contemporary Jewelry in Oakland, California and at Van Gogh's Ear in Prescott Arizona. You can visit Barbara Brown Designs
Ivan serves on the Board of Directors of R&B Cellars. When not working in finance, Ivan visits local markets to support wholesalers, manages the winery's ecommerce, and conducts tastings and winemaker dinners. As Assistant Winemaker, Ivan works closely with his father Kevin in the creation and blending of new vintages.
Ivan's musical contribution to the family is through alto saxophone. Having played for 15 years, the majority of Ivan's training and experience is in Jazz, particularly Bebop. When at winemaker events, Ivan sits in with the family ensemble, performing a variety of standards and Bebop charts. Despite a hectic work schedule, Ivan still studies saxophone regularly in New York and attempts to get in some practicing every day.
Ryan Hart
Ryan is the adventurous one in the family, enjoying rock-climbing, white-water rafting, horseback riding, and backpack camping. He is an enthusiastic cook, photographer and animal lover. He is currently living in Nova Scotia finishing up his high school career. Ryan is very involved with The Ovens Natural Park in Nova Scotia where he works taking care of all the animals in the petting zoo. Whenever Ryan is in California, he is actively involved with the winery, helping to plan and organize special events, working in the winery and the office.
Ajax Brown
Ajax, a Flat-Coated Retriever, is our beloved R & B Cellars winery dog. Ajax serves as Marketing and Winemaker Consultant, and Chief Officer of Chaos & Commotion when in a frisky mood. His specialty is his own canine varietal: "Tug of War Red"
When Ajax is not busy in the winery, he competes in Dog Shows. Ajax started on his path to his Championship just after Christmas in 2007. He has been in numerous shows, has garnered 10+ First Place finishes as well as several "Winners Dog" and "Best of Winners" awards. He finished his Championship in June 2008! Congratulations to Ajax!
Ajax continues to show as a Champion and is working on Best of Breed recognition and will soon begin competing for his Working Certificate.
Please view some of Ajax's photos on our gallery page.
R&B Cellars Extended Family
Mark Pape
Mark Pape serves as National Sales Director for R&B Cellars, bringing an extensive background as cellar master, sommelier and sales director. Mark continues his success with Oregon-based Witness Tree Vineyard as cellar master and sales director and has served as sales director and marketing coordinator with Murphy-Goode Winery of Alexander Valley.
A native Texan, Mark's experience in the hospitality industry is extensive, including a six-year stint at the Five-Star, Five-Diamond The Little Nell Hotel in Aspen. He completed a degree in vineyard management in Oregon in 2001 and will continue to pursue his lifelong passion for fine wines through his sales endeavors and explorations. Mark has been a friend and colleague of R&B Cellars' winemaker Kevin Brown for over 20 years.
Kristin Dvirnak
Kristin Dvirnak has been in the restaurant and wine business for several years as office manager and bookkeeper. In January she joined forces with R&B as the new office manager. In very little time she has organized the office and has gotten it running like a clean machine! Her assistant Reah (of the canine variety) comes everyday to help Ajax (the R&B winery dog) with the very important task of greeting visitors. Kristin's husband David helps with wine tasting events. The two of them live in Vallejo.
Nouri Azouaou
Dr. Nourredine Azouaou, AKA "Nouri", is a long-time friend of both Kevin and Barbara. Nouri has been involved with the winery since it's creation in 1997 and is a shareholder in the winery. Currently he assists in distributing R&B's wines in the greater San Francisco Bay area and participates in the many tasting events and open houses.
Nouri is a laboratory veterinarian at Gallo Center/UCSF in the Department of Neurology. However, his passion for wine and his experience in the wine industry started as a teen harvesting grapes in Languedoc-Roussillon where he learned about wine growing regions and their unique terroirs. Nouri moved to California in 1984, where he worked at Providence Veterinary Medical Facilities in Alameda.
He is also a long-time friend of the Rosenblums and had a long association with Rosenblum Cellars as well. For several years he worked part-time at Rosenblum Cellars as the tasting room manager and was involved in the winery in many capacities. His unique position allowed him to become familiar with the California wine industry and essentially befriend winery owners, winemakers, vineyard owners and growers as well as wine organizations, distributors, restaurants and hotel managers among others. He has a sound knowledge of the California wine industry and history.
Interested restaurants/businesses may contact Nouri via email.
Craig Green
Craig Green has been a big fan of R & B Cellars since it's first vintage of 1997. In the last year, he and his wife Marti have become shareholders, and he has been promoting R & B Cellars in Sales (Retail & Restaurant) in the Bay Area and Northern California region. He is a retired East Bay Area Asst. Fire Chief, a wine collector, an avid snow skier, and an occasional golfer. He and his wife (Marti) have resided in Alameda for the last 30 years.