Bee and Ross Maloof: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Bee and Ross Maloof of Maloof Wines. In this interview, Bee speaks about starting out her carreer as an Aerospace Materials Engineer. Ross speaks about working in restaurants for many years where he gained an interest in wine and discovered his love for hospitality. They both explain the process of starting their brand, Maloof wines, and why they decided to produce a majority of white wine. Bee discusses their whimsical yet approachable label designs and how they balance seriousness and playfulness with their wines. Later, Ross and Bee describe their philosophies around the brand with business and winemaking, and discuss their Pinot Gris winemaking process and how it differs from others in the area. The two of them speak about moving into a new space and working with their new vineyard, No Clos Radio. Towards the end of the interview they look ahead to the future, past dealing with the pandemic, and talk about their sales and winemaking goals for the future. To conclude, they give their advice for newcomers in the industry and reflect on what wine’s role in society is. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at No Clos Radio Vineyard on August 24, 2020.