Wines & Winemaker Daryl Groom

The Best of California

“Sips & Bites on the Bay” offers a selection of exciting wines from well respected appellations in Northern and Central California. Guests are served a variety of wines from Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Mendocino County, Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast and Livermore Valley. Selected wines are specifically paired with the hors d'oeuvres to create an educational, interactive food and wine experience. Wine selections rotate frequently.

Winemaker Daryl Groom

All wines served aboard “Sips & Bites on the Bay” are selected by highly acclaimed Foggy Bridge winemaker Daryl Groom. A native of Adelaide, Australia, he has more than twenty years of winemaking experience, including a five year tenure as senior red winemaker at Penfolds Wines in Australia. Daryl left Australia in 1989 to oversee winemaking operations at Geyser Peak Winery in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. He later held senior management positions at Peak Wines International and Beam Wine Estates, which included the Geyser Peak, Wild Horse, Gary Farrell, Atlas Peak and Clos du Bois brands.

Since his arrival in the United States, Daryl has been awarded “Winemaker of the Year” honors by national organizations and publications including San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, and Houston Chronicle, and he was granted the distinction “One of 11 Visionaries to Change the World of Wine” by Food & Wine Magazine.

Daryl’s natural charisma and reputation as an industry leader have led to numerous judging roles at national wine competitions and events. He has been a guest speaker on the Queen Mary II and Seabourne Cruise Line and is a repeat guest on E! Television.