Richard Betts

Thrust into the world of wine in 1974, Richard worked his first crush in the fermenting room of the Louis M. Martini Winery in Napa Valley, California, jump starting a lifelong journey in wine.

Over the years he has had experience in restaurants, retail, import, and distribution, tasting thousands of wines along the way. As an independent wine and spirits educator, he has enjoyed conducting wine tastings and events for decades.

Richard discovered Arizona wines nearly twenty-five years ago and has been an advocate for the industry, becoming one of the first to offer Arizona wines in a retail setting. He has been a judge in both the Governor’s Cup and Arizona Republic wine competitions and is grateful to have witnessed firsthand Arizona wine’s extraordinary growth into the dynamic industry that exists today.