Rominger West Story Part III: The Rominger ... - Rominger West Winery

We had some adventures in the last installment of The Rominger West Story: Yummy wines, big fire, new building, oh my! Mark and Charlie had just moved into a new building in Davis and completed their first harvest in the new space, and they were getting serious about marketing and getting the Rominger West name out there despite the setback of the warehouse fire that destroyed their entire first vintage. It was a chaotic, messy, exciting time!

Charlie Rominger

However, the momentum of this fledgling company was about to be stalled for a second time when we lost our beloved friend, brother and founding winegrower, Charlie Rominger. In October of 2006, Charlie passed away following a battle with cancer. The outpouring of grief from the community after his death was a testament to the impact Charlie had on those around him, but it barely touched on the depth of loss we continue to feel here. Charlie was a constant presence in the community, attending meetings, sitting on boards and connecting with the public. He did all of this with a calmness and thoughtfulness that won him respect on all sides. He was the kind of person who would stand up during a meeting and speak his mind, adhering to his principles of sustainability and integrity, and do it in such a manner that even those who vehemently disagreed with him still respected and liked him. Charlie always wanted us to make sure that we had fun, focused on quality, supported our community, and worked to make the region better for our children, and we have remained committed to these goals.

Bruce and Rick Rominger

Charlie’s younger brother, Bruce, has stepped in as our grape grower, and our vineyards have flourished under his skilled hand. Bruce grew up on the farm north of Winters, received a B.S. in Plant Science from UC Davis, and has been working with his brothers on the Rominger family farm near Winters ever since.  With many different types of grapes to watch over (Syrah, Malbec, Tannat, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Semillon, the list goes on…) as well as the other Rominger Brother’s Farm operations, Bruce keeps himself very busy.  In addition to growing wine grapes, Rominger Brothers Farms grows wheat, alfalfa, and a variety of other row crops, and with new partner Nick Charles, a growing flock of sheep! On the rare occasion that he has some time to relax, Bruce enjoys hiking with his family, cheering on the San Francisco Giants and listening to some good ol’ 70’s rock n’ roll!