1980
Founded RW Webb Winery, the 1st winery in Arizona since prohibition. The first crushing was on October 1st. using 1200 tons of California grapes to produce 1200 cases.
About R.W. Webb
Bob spends his time helping others lay out vineyards and designing and building wineries. As his ancestors arrived in Arizona in 1882, he has over three generations of experience and knowledge about the Southern Arizona region. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1963 with a BS in Economics which has has found to be invaluable in his business dealings. After college Bob served in the U S Navy as a pilot in the Vietnam war. He returned home to Tucson in Dec. of 1970 to enter into the business world.
Bob has successfully owned and operated retail, wholesale and manufacturing concerns in Tucson for the last 40 years. During this time he has done stock offerings, formed limited and general partnerships and operated as a sole proprietor. He is very knowledgeable in all aspects of connecting people to make things happen.
Along with being the founder of the Tucson Association of Executives (TAE), Bob is also a contributing member of the downtown Tucson Rotary and Caballeros del Sol (Tucson’s Ambassador group). In 2005 he was appointed by Governor Napalitano to the Arizona / Mexico Commission. He is also a past board member of Arizona Association of Business Brokers.
Extensive Industry Knowledge
Bob founded the 1st winery in the state of Arizona in 1980. In 1992 Bob was a founding member of the Arizona Wine Growers Association. In 1990 the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture recognized his contributions to the Arizona wine industry with its Alumni of the Year award. More recently Bob was appointed by the Governor of Arizona to the state’s first Wine Commission where he served as Chairman.
Over the past 40 years Bob has lent his expertise to numerous wineries. With the success of these businesses Bob has helped establish and promote the Arizona and Northern Mexico wine industries. Through hands on involvement, extensive education and a passion for world class wine, he has a vast range of knowledge that is vital for helping you reach your goals.
More than 40 Years Experience
Since founding the 1st winery in Arizona, Bob has assisted many wine makers with establishing their vineyards, streamlining their production process and developing their business plan. Bob’s wines have been awarded over 17 international medals, including a Gold medal for a 1987 Fume Blanc at the Les Amin de Vin competition. His wines have also garnered numerous awards and accolades throughout Arizona.
Since 1980 Bob has produced, bottled and sold over 500,000 bottles of Arizona wine.
History
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1982
Founding member of the Arizona Wine Growers Association. Served from 1982-1997. The Arizona Wine Growers Association (AWGA) serves grape growers and winemakers in Arizona, allying its members for representation, promotion and education. The association strives to advance with integrity the sustainable growth and production of authentic Arizona-grown wines.
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1982
Bob designed, built and was the winemaker for Bodegas Juan Bautista de Anza Winery. He supervised the pruning and care of the vineyard on behalf of Don Pedro Miu for the production of wine. This facility was a 10,000 sq. Ft 15,000 case facility in Hermosillo, Mexico. It was also the first commercial winery within the state of Sonora in modern times. The vineyard was located on the highway to Kino Bay where today there are over 200,000 hectares of grapes being grown.
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1983
Bob was the managing Partner of BW Vineyards from 1983-1990. He developed this 20-acre vineyard from scratch. Bob began by researching land in Southern Arizona to find the perfect climate and soil in order to produce world class wines. The soils, cold air and drainage he found on the slopes of the Dos Cabezas mountains were similar to the Burgundy region of France. With the location secured, Bob managed the installation of drip irrigation, trellis and other required infrastructure. Bob planted, trained and pruned the vines, resulting in a harvest of 105 tons in 1990. The vines ultimately garnered 17 international medals and awards. Today the vineyard is known as Arizona Stronghold. This region near Wilcox is now one of the great wine producing regions of the state. Today Sam Pillsbury’s and John McLaughlin’s vineyards (to name a few) can be found nearby.
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1986
Bob designed and built a 12,000 sq. ft 20,000 case production winery in Vail, AZ. This winery included a tasting room and a beautiful courtyard. Throughout the years this winery has hosted numerous fundraisers, including several for the Arizona Opera Company. It has also become a unique venue for weddings, as well as the location of choice for the Annual Chiliheads Cook-Off competition.
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1990
Named and awarded Alumni of the Year by the University of Arizona College of Agriculture for significant contributions within the Arizona Wine industry. Bob has worked hand in hand with the College to support Arizona winemaking by collecting and evaluating data on specific grapes and locations within Arizona.
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1995
Bob was appointed by the former Governor of Arizona, Fife Symington, to the first State Wine Commission. Served as Chairman from 1995-1997. He has also worked with the Arizona Department of Commerce to promote Arizona Wines.
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2010
Planted a 1000 vine experimental vineyard 300 miles south of the Arizona – Sonora, Mexico Border. This vineyard is high in the Sierra Madre mountains at an elevation of 7000 ft. It is believed to be the highest vineyard in North America. Bob planted 14 different varieties and a total of 28 clones.
Bob also did a custom 2 ton crush of Arizona Cabernet and Petite Sirah that produced 105 cases of premium full-bodied red wine.
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2013
In 2013 Bob decided to focus on helping others obtain their wine making dreams by devoting his time and energy to consulting in the industry. He currently is working with clients in the Williams, Arizona area and a vineyard locate don the slopes of Elephant Head butte.
Vineyard Consulting
Winery Consulting
Wine Business Consulting
