Robert Egan is the winegrower at Agathodaemon Wines in Rogue Valley, Oregon. He was raised in the wine world. His father had a crazy notion in 1980 to buy a vineyard and move the family from Southern California to the Napa Valley. That property is now part of the Silverado Trail. Two other properties followed. It is not every teenager’s dream to farm grapes on a Saturday morning, and Robert was seeking a different destiny. He went to UC Davis and then onto medical school. One evening, he was nominated to select wine at an important dinner. The consensus was “he’s from Napa, he knows wine.” He did not. He got lucky and made a great pick of a Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon because he recognized the label from the window of his school bus route. He decided that maybe it was time to learn about wine and vineyards. Media Inquiries: agathodaemonwine@gmail.com | http://www.agathodaemonwine.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
The wine venture began right after I learned the story of the Agathodaemon—he was the ancient Greek god of the vineyard. He had a partner, the Agathotyche, goddess of good fortune and protector of cities. As soon as I told that story, we knew we had the perfect name for our business. The ancient Greeks celebrated life with wine made from unique, ancient grapes. That philosophy really speaks to both Kathleen and me—it reflects the way we choose to live.
We’ve always believed that the best wines come from the best fruit. At the time, I had wine being made from the final harvest of my family’s vineyard in California. I was 54 years old—the same age my father was when he bought our first vineyard. Kathleen insisted we name that wine “54.” From there, we began the search for a vineyard of our own, one that could truly express a sense of place and quality.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
The tasting room is the missing link in discovering Agathodaemon wines. If we didn’t have constraints, the tasting room would already be finished, complete with a bocci ball court, covered music venue, special seating on the hill, and a cozy cat-house for the furry supervisor of the vineyard.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
We found ourselves in the Rogue Valley AVA after a series of unexpected events, standing in an immaculate vineyard in Talent, Oregon. It had been established over 30 years ago by a respected vineyard manager and had a rare eastern-facing aspect at 1,710 to 1,780 feet. Seven Rhône varieties were planted—including Viognier.
At the time, I wasn’t excited about the Viognier. I leaned toward California reds and considered replacing it. Kathleen didn’t know much about it either. But in our first year, we had grape contracts to honor, so we kept it. That first season—growing, harvesting, crushing—was emotional. It felt like handing your kid the car keys for the first time. You worry until they come home.
We didn’t know what to expect from that first Viognier. But it turned out spectacular—elegant, floral, tropical, dimensional. It changed my perspective completely and revealed how expressive the Rogue Valley can be. Unlike Napa or the Willamette, which are defined by a few key varietals, the Rogue is all about diversity.
Our Agathodaemon Viognier has since earned 90+ point reviews, but our real reward is seeing the surprise on people’s faces when they taste it. Check out my review of this Viognier.