Robert Kamen is a New Yorker, Hollywood film screenwriter, martial arts expert and owner of KAMEN Estate Wines.  He lives in New York City with his family, traveling frequently to the West Coast to cultivate screenplays in Los Angeles and wine in Northern California.  A multi-dimensional man, Robert is akin to his intense yet graceful mountain-grown KAMEN Cabernet Sauvignon.  Films he has written include TAPS with Tom Cruise, the KARATE KID franchise, WALK IN THE CLOUDS,   THE PROFESSIONAL,  THE TRANSPORTER SERIES,, TAKEN and TAKEN II, going into production this summer

.Robert's passion for writing and long-time enthusiasm for wine has evolved into commingled life pursuits.  In 1980, after selling his first screenplay to Warner Brothers Studio at the age of 33, Robert purchased 280-acres of pristine mountain property outside the town of Sonoma.  "I had money in my pocket and I went to Sonoma to celebrate with friends," recounted Robert.  "We went to this remote, rugged, overgrown mountainous land strewn with rocky, volcanic outcroppings, and I fell in love with the place.  Fortunately, it was for sale."  Through an acquaintance, he met viticulturist Phil Coturri, a local farmer with a deep sensibility and regard for nature.  At a time when very few growers were cultivating their vineyards organically, Robert and Phil committed to follow this less traveled path and began a long-term collaboration to preserve the wildness of the site with as little intervention as possible.  More than two decades later, when he is not writing screenplays, Robert attentively oversees and takes pride in his 50-acre organically farmed estate vineyard.

It all began in his early twenties, when Robert became interested in wine and developed his palate by purchasing Bordeaux and Burgundies from "Sam" at the Surrey Wine Shop in New York City.  Robert would make notes and the two would discuss his sensory evaluations.  At that time, he had graduated from New York University in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in Literature and was earning his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania in American Studies that he received in 1975.  Robert was already an accomplished martial arts practitioner, another pursuit he has finessed throughout his life, having begun Karate when he was 18 years old.  "I was jumped at the World's Fair in 1965 and have studied martial arts ever since," said Robert.  He has trained in Okinawa and for the past 15 years has practiced Tai Chi and Ba Gua.  He has also traveled extensively in Afghanistan and India.  Robert's first screenplay was based on a novel he wrote about Afghanistan. 

Today, writing, wine and martial arts continue to play central roles in Robert's life.  His love of wine and adventure has now extended to producing  "first-growth" quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from his estate grapes.  "My mandate is that we make a wine equal to the greatness of the mountain vineyard we have tended so consciously."

www.kamenwines.com