Haas Family

Robert Haas

Robert Haas has played a leading role in the American wine industry for over half a century. After graduating from Yale in 1950, he joined his father’s firm, M. Lehmann, Inc., a retailer of fine wines and spirits in Manhattan. As a buyer for the company, Haas traveled through the cellars of France, establishing a formidable reputation as a wine taster while forging lifelong relationships with premier wine producers.

In the mid-1960s he set out on his own to import fine estate wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Loire, Alsace and the Rhône Valley, where he met the Perrins of Château de Beaucastel and became the exclusive American importer for Beaucastel. As his company Vineyard Brands grew, it introduced the American market to brands such as La Vieille Ferme, Marqués de Cáceres, Santa Rita, Warre’s Port, and Villa Maria. The company also served as a representative for newly emerging California wineries including Chappellet, Freemark Abbey, Clos du Val, Joseph Phelps, Rutherford Hill, Hanzell, Kistler, and Sonoma-Cutrer. He founded the symposium "Focus on Chardonnay" in 1984 to promote dialogue between producers in Burgundy and California.

As Managing Partner of Tablas Creek since its foundation in 1989, Haas has consistently spoken in favor of organic viticulture, minimum-intervention winemaking and wines of terroir and sophistication. He has spoken on wine and winemaking topics at festivals around the country, including the New York Wine Experience, the Boston Wine Expo, Society of Wine Educators annual meeting, Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta, Hospice du Rhône, Central Coast Wine Classic and many others.

Haas is one of four American members of the Académie Internationale du Vin. In recognition of his contributions to the international wine community as an importer, a vintner, and an advocate for quality, he was elected as the AIV president in 2000. He manages Tablas Creek with his son Jason.

Jason Haas

Jason Haas, the son of Tablas Creek Vineyard founder and renowned importer Robert Haas, learned the wine business at an early age, accompanying his family on yearly European wine-buying trips and spending two summers working at Château de Beaucastel.

After obtaining a Master’s Degree in Archaeology from Cornell and spending a four-year stint managing a tech company in Washington, DC, Jason moved to California to join Tablas Creek in April of 2002. He is a member of the winemaking committee, manages the wholesale distribution of Tablas Creek, and directs the vineyard’s local and national marketing efforts.

In addition to his work at Tablas Creek, he serves on the board of directors of the Rhone Rangers and the Family Winemakers of California, as well as on the marketing committee of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. He speaks at events around the country on topics including Tablas Creek, Rhône varietals, organic farming, and the Paso Robles region. He is also the principal author of the Tablas Creek blog, which won the Wine Blog Award for Best Winery Blog in 2008 and 2011.

Upcoming Events

Outstanding in the Field (June 7) and Hearst Castle (July 13) Dinners

We are honored to be participating in two local dinners this summer, on June 7th at Rinconada Dairy with Outstanding in the Field and on July 13th at Hearst Castle with Festival Mozaic. Join us at these unforgettable (though wholly different) venues. Details & More Events »

Tablas Creek News

Featured Wine for May: 2010 Grenache Blanc

Each month, we choose a wine to feature based on the season and the wine's own evolution. For May, we've chosen the expressive, mineral-laced 2010 Grenache Blanc. During the feature, this wine (normally $27) is available at $24.60, and just $18.90 for VINsiders. Details »

On the Blog: Celebrating May 15th, the unofficial end to frost season

May 16, 2012

I've delayed writing this post so as not to jinx us, but in mid-May I think that I can do so safely. So, here goes. We seem to have made it through spring without any damage from frost. What does this mean? Nothing but good »