Jim’s interest in outstanding wines from small family-owned wineries led him to Robert Biale Vineyards in 2000. He has great memories drinking the Black Chicken Zinfandel on the back porch of the Biale family home. Through his frequent visits at Biale, I met the Biale family and the close-knit group of employees. These experiences encouraged him to learn more about wine, and of course, to become a very good customer at Biale.

Jim retired in 2007 as the police chief in the City of Benicia after 35 years in policing. Post retirement, he was searching for duties to keep him busy. He became active in the Benicia community through the Rotary Club activities and became a mentor at our continuation high school. However, that was not enough for Jim! Luckily in 2010 he was fortunate enough to be asked to help out at a Biale release party that led to Biale asking Jim to work in the tasting room part-time. Today he continues to be a part-time Biale Wine Educator as well as leading the Harvest Tours in the fall. He has had the pleasure of working with an outstanding tasting room team and a great family-owned company. If you ask Jim what his favorite thing is at Biale, he would say it is being able to pour our customers outstanding wines while engaging them in conversations about Bob Biale and his family, farming, and the wine making process.

And one last thing—it also gives me the opportunity to drink world classed wines!