A third-generation Californian, Bob Bath was born and raised in Davis, a small college town, 60 miles east of the Napa Valley. His interest in wine was sparked at the age of 19 while attending college at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and working summers in fine dining restaurants. He also played baseball at Cal Poly, alongside St. Louis Cardinal legend and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ozzie Smith. Bob passed the Master Sommelier exam in 1993, becoming one of the first 25 Master Sommeliers in the United States. Over the last 30 years, he has worked in virtually every aspect of the restaurant and wine industry. Bob spent almost eight years as the National Sales Manager for the prestigious Napa Valley winery, Shafer Vineyards, and in February of 2000, he started his own company, Robert Bath MS – Wine Education and Consultation. Since then, Bob has worked with over 30 high-profile companies including The French Laundry, Duckhorn Vineyards, Charles Krug, Crystal Cruise Lines, Taj Hotels, Kendall Jackson and Uptown Network.

He joined the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the Napa Valley as an adjunct professor in 2004 and took a full-time position in 2010. Bob has been instrumental in the development of the Wine and Beverage Graduate Certificate program, the first college graduate level wine and beverage program of its kind in the United States, along with the new Sommelier Summit. He also finds time to write regularly for Somm Journal, Tasting Panel and Clever Root magazines.