Robert Lauer: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Robert Lauer of Botaniety. In this interview, Robert speaks about his journey through the wine world, which so far has taken him from Michigan to California to New Zealand to Oregon. He goes over his initial interest in wine and the process of developing his palate and learning about the different regions of wine. He then talks about his decision to pursue winemaking instead of becoming a Sommelier. Robert takes us through his time spent studying wine and viticulture at UC Davis, as well as his time working with Growing Relations Manager Doug Spinger of Mumm Napa where he got to scout vineyard sources. Later, Robert talks about his move to Oregon and his work at Botaniety. He discusses his role at the brand, what his winemaking strategy is, and what he’s looking forward to in the future for him and the label. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Robert’s home in Salem on August 2, 2021.