OUR STORY
After a 20 year military career - living around the world, tasting great food and wine, experiencing new cultures and cuisine and meeting many wonderful people - it is now time to immerse myself in the world of wine. A world that is so vast, varied, rich and wonderful that it keeps fresh in mind the experiences, people and places of the past. The nostalgia triggered by a taste of wine keeps the past close to the present. While a sip cannot perfectly recreate a prior moment in time - too much has changed and too many friends have moved on - it can help hold onto the memories of a time gone by. A time marked by so many ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This endeavor to discover and share great wine is not a pining for past better days, rather it is a recognition and a tribute to the many people who have shaped our present situation, even if they touched our lives only briefly. Ultimately, my endeavor is about people, relationships, adding value, and giving back.
In recognition of those families who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, three dollars for every case of wine sold will be donated to support military charities.
ROBERT & TRICIA LEE
Tricia is the love of my life. She has been by my side since high school graduation in 1992. She is both my greatest cheerleader and biggest critic. After following me around for 25 years, raising three wonderful children, Tricia has agreed to follow along on my crazy adventure in the wine business.
The name "Rabejador" comes from the grand finale of Portuguese bullfighting tradition. Once the cavaleiro (bullfighter) has tested the mettle of his horse and shown his skill in the ring, a team of 8 forcados approach the bull without protection or weapons. This team of 8 men dressed in traditional Portuguese garb, subdue the bull only using their bare hands in a highly orchestrated team effort. The forcado who grabs the bull's tail, is the called the rabejador. Ultimately, he controls the direction of the bull, and he is the last person in the ring with the bull when the other forcado dismount and exit the arena.
In the tradition of grabbing onto a beast that is bigger and more powerful than a single entity, yet still being able to influence the trajectory of that powerful force, Rabejador Wines hopes to steer the wine industry in the direction of "craft" wines, which similar to "craft" beers are characterized by small wineries using traditional wine making techniques to create high quality wines that bring great value to the US market.