Domaine Georg Rafael is the latest venture of Georg Rafael, renowned hotelier, one of the principals of Regent International Hotels and founder of the Rafael Group Hoteliers, an exclusive group of luxury boutique hotels, which he sold to Mandarin Oriental in 2000.

Growing up in post war Germany, Georg left his home at a young age with only a train ticket and an adventurer’s mind. His early travels led him to the South of France where he worked for a short time but most importantly had his first exposure to the enchanting vineyards of the Provence. The impressions of these magical rolling hills tinged by endless sunshine left him spellbound and there began the dream of one day being a vineyard owner.

Fine wine became an ever more integral part of the hotels Georg managed and created later in his life. However in 1984 the dream that took shape in the Provence became a much more vivid reality when he bought land in Napa Valley and planted it with principally Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay rootstocks.

Although German born (which accounts for the peculiar spelling of Georg without an 'e' at the end!) Georg had developed a strong affinity for the United States over his hospitality career and in particular the San Francisco Bay Area. This is what ultimately led him to the breathtaking wine country of Napa Valley.

In 1996 Georg decided the time was opportune to create his own wine label and Domaine Georg Rafael Pere et Fils was born. The Rafael Group Hoteliers was at its most active and Georg felt that Domaine Georg Rafael would be a beautifully fitting complement to this portfolio of luxury hotels.

The winemaking team behind Domaine Georg Rafael of Tom Farella and Brad Kitson have created a trademark style for the wines rooted in traditional methods with the desire to let the terroir in the fruit be front and center. The highest quality French oak barrels are judiciously used to integrate and build complexity during the development of the wines. All the vintages have proven to age extremely well and are characterized by deep ruby color and classic flavors of blackberry, cassis, black licorice and cedar.

To date the Domaine Georg Rafael wines have been marketed to a narrow audience almost exclusively within the hotel industry and never sought press or ratings. Nevertheless, thanks to the efforts of friends in the San Francisco Bay Area, Domaine Georg Rafael wines have featured on many pre-eminent restaurants wine lists such as the French Laundry, Gary Danko, Ame at the St. Regis San Francisco, Campton Place Hotel and Spruce.

Beginning in 2010 Marc Rafael, Georg's son, has taken on the beautiful challenge of representing Georg Rafael Vineyards based locally in the Napa Valley with the objective of developing the wine label and bringing it to a broader audience of wine loving aficionados for the first time. These exciting steps represent a new and thrilling chapter in truly establishing Domaine Georg Rafael wines globally. And the dream Georg Rafael formed as a teenager in Provence continues to evolve...