Ray Johnson joined the wine business in 1986 at the Christian Brothers’ Greystone Cellars in Saint Helena, California.  He went on to sell wine, first on the supplier side, and later in retail, working directly with consumers.

He earned his Master’s in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide in South Australia and taught wine appreciation, sensory evaluation and wine marketing at four institutions during his tenure in education.

Ray recently retired as the Executive Director of the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University.  Over fourteen years he worked collaboratively with the wine community to help create the next generation of wine industry leadership.  His ties to the people of Sonoma County run deep.