About
Making Fine Wine Since 1999
Our Story
A Horse-Powered Tale
We are winemakers, but we are also equestrian enthusiasts. Our title is a portmanteau of the barn names—or nicknames—of Barry’s first two Arabian endurance horses, Tamborina (Tamber) and Bayamo (Bey). Three of our red blends are named for equine color coat patterns: Rabicano, Sabino, and Tovero. For us, this is as it should be because we are moved as much by terroir and typicity as we are by the “moment of suspension,” when a galloping horse takes flight. The way we talk about wine is the way we talk about horsemanship: Both are pursuits of skill, refinement, strength, nature, and beauty.
Oenophile
Focused on Winegrowing
Tamber Bey’s founder and vintner, Barry Waitte, first fell for wine as a college student in San Luis Obispo, Ca., where he worked in a bottle shop and came across a life-changing bottle of 1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve. As a young professional, Barry began collecting Grand Cru wines of Bordeaux. After a successful career in high tech that spanned two decades, he was ready for a change. He wanted to get into the wine business, so he moved to Napa Valley and purchased two vineyards. Barry sought out the mentorship of grape growers he had long admired from afar, including Robert Mondavi, Andy Beckstoffer and Ren Harris.
Equestrians
Passionate About Horsemanship
Barry first met Jennifer, an accomplished equestrian, in 2000 when he bought a horse from her. When they began dating seven years later, they bonded over their love of riding and the outdoors, and the sheer grit and athleticism required to excel in endurance racing, a cross-country sport that tests riders and horses with distances of 50 or 100 miles in a single day. Today, with multiple endurance championships and awards under their belts, and having both competed on three continents, Jennifer and Barry are enjoying the sport of polo.
People
Meet Our Team
Tamber Bey is a family-owned business, with Barry and Jennifer managing operations and marketing, and Barry’s daughter, Kendra, managing the wine club. Our philosophy of sustainability reaches beyond the vineyard and winery to our tasting room and offices, where we treat our small team like extended family. Here are a few of our key players.
Community & Philanthropy
Giving Back
For more than 25 years, the Waitte Foundation has supported the health of children and families through the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, the St. Helena Hospital Foundation, Napa CHI (Community Health Initiative), the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Helena & Calistoga, and the OLE Health Foundation, where Barry serves on the board of directors. The Waitte Foundation also supports the Napa Education Foundation, the Children’s Health Initiative of Napa County, and Opportunity International, a worldwide micro-loan agency for the underprivileged. In addition, Tamber Bey is a booster of Sunrise Horse Rescue, the Giant Steps therapeutic riding center in Petaluma, and the causes served by Auction Napa Valley.
