Claire Silver

Claire (Howard) Silver grew up in a family that enjoyed wine nightly with dinner. Growing up in San Francisco, California, during the 60’s and 70’s she remembers outings to Napa and Sonoma with her family. It wasn’t until meeting Lance Silver, her future husband, and sharing their enthusiasm for wines together, that wine became very special and not just an “everyday” beverage with dinner.

Claire met Lance at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where they were both in the Hotel Administration program, earning her BS in 1982. A wine course, and meeting Lance, really opened the doors to a whole new level of wine appreciation for Claire. While in Las Vegas, Claire worked in tourism at the Flamingo Hilton and the Tropicana Hotel.

The Silvers broke away from the hospitality industry to start a new company in women’s clothing. After 10 very successful years and enjoying/collecting wine (they had a 5,000 bottle underground cellar), and experiencing memorable wine country vacations together, Claire and Lance decided to follow a dream and become winery owners to make the best wines possible. The Silvers became 50/50 partners with Tobin James in 1996, in his nine-year established brand, Tobin James Cellars. Immediately their capital went into buying top wine making equipment, to ensure the steady growth of their business and to continue improving the quality of their wines.

Claire learned winemaking on the job beginning with lab work and punch downs during crush. Currently she is involved in wine blending, final sensory evaluations and blends. Along with being involved with the wine packaging, she also has her hand in marketing, merchandise design and buying. Claire also promotes public relations, wine club, and entertainment of winery guests. Her real satisfaction is working with her customers, having them go crazy over the wines, and knowing those wines have a special place in that customer’s life. Tobin James, the founding winemaker, Lance Silver, winemaker, along with Jeff Poe, technical winemaker (Fresno State Enology, Clos du Val, Lockwood, Simi), have been her much appreciated mentors.

Since the Silvers became winery partners in 1996, they implemented their James Gang Wine Club—28,000 members and growing—a growing testament to their dedication to produce the finest, well-balanced wines from the very best fruit, and to give their customers much more than they expect. Claire is proud of her entire Tobin James family (staff) who also dedicate themselves to the same common Tobin James Cellars values of exceeding expectations through their hospitality in the Tasting Room and through their quality of wines. Tobin James is an ambassador of the Paso Robles Wine Region, named Wine Region of the Year, 2013 by Wine Enthusiast magazine. As active stewards, Tobin James Cellars takes great pride in Paso Robles Wine Country, and Tobin James Cellars is honored to be an integral part of Paso’s growth from the early days and its continuing growth in the future.

2014 -- Claire Silver was awarded along with Lance Silver and Tobin James as Wine Industry Persons of the Year, San Luis Obispo County.

Claire served as acting President (7 years) of the Wineries of Highway 46 East Association in Paso Robles, Advisory Board Member of both Paso Robles Culinary School and the Endeavour Academy, initiated and still coordinates the county adopt-the-road program in her area, and served as a Girl Scout Leader for thirteen years.

Claire’s main interests and true passions are her family and Tobin James Winery. She is so proud of her husband of 34 years, Lance Silver, and their two grown daughters. In her spare time she loves great wines, dining, travel, hiking-- Summited Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa in 2015.