In 1965 most people were tinkering with cars in their garage. Davis Bynum was tinkering with wine. Really great wine. He spent a few years perfecting his concoction in that room usually reserved for lawnmowers. Then he moved his operation to his very own winery in Albany, California. He called his garage-style wine ‘Barefoot Bynum Burgundy’ and offered it in his tasting room. Wine lovers went head over heels for the Foot. Who knew a garage-style wine could compete toe-to-toe with the big boys? And even though Davis set Barefoot Bynum Burgundy aside in 1974 to focus on his Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, but the first steps had been taken.

Some ideas are too good to fade away, right?

Well, twelve years later, Michael Houlihan and his partner, Bonnie Harvey, relaunched Barefoot. Both agreed it was time for a wine that didn’t take itself too seriously. So, Barefoot Cellars was created in 1986 (Bonnie liked the name because it was easy to pronounce). It started with two varietals that were all about bringing the fun back—California Cabernet Sauvignon and California Sauvignon Blanc. Michael and Bonnie searched for the perfect symbol to represent their new wine. Finally, Bonnie just rolled out some paper, stepped on the biggest inkpad she could find and left her mark. It’s been on our labels ever since.

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO THOSE WHO DO GOOD.

Good times are great, but good times that do good are even better. Randy Arnold taught us that when he joined the team in 1990 as our first Barefooter. Randy always says “good things happen to those who do good.” And he’s proved it. He kick-started our tradition of supporting our passions by partnering with non-profits close to his heart. Traveling up and down the California coast, Randy acted as our ambassador and turned everyone he met into a friend. He’s been following his heart since day one and doesn’t plan on stopping. Neither do we.

Behind every great bottle of wine is an even greater winemaker. And ours is Jennifer Wall. She joined the team in 1995 back when there were only four varietals. She’s all about making fun, flavorful wines that fans of any experience level will love. And thanks to her, we now have twelve still wines and five sparkling ones. Jen helped us become a nationally recognized name in the big old wine industry. She’s helped us win thousands of medals and become the most awarded California wine brand under $15. And she keeps upping her game. We can’t wait to see what she’ll come up with next.

With big hearts and big ideas you need a like-minded partner.

So, in 2005, forces were joined with the E. & J. Gallo winery. We’ve been having a great time chasing our dreams together ever since.

Yeah, we’re all about making wine more fun. But giving back is really what’s at our heart and sole. We’ve made some great friends by following our passions. Whether we’re having fun in the sun with the Surfrider Foundation and Beach Volleyball or steppin’ out and proud with the LGBTQ community, we’re lucky to sip alongside some great causes. We’ve supported over 3,000 charities worldwide and are always on the lookout for more do-gooders to get involved with. Our passion is making the world a better place through wine and we love to get out there and get our toes wet.

OUR PASSION IS MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE THROUGH WINE. Through the years, people have gone head over heels for our wine. We’ve received some amazing recognition and professional awards. More importantly, we’ve made some amazing friends. We have a growing circle of Foot Fans who love to enjoy our wine and join us in giving back. That’s something worth toasting to. So come on and join in.