Meet the Mahers: Two Premier Grape Growers in One Household

Given that the quality of a wine can only be as high as that of its raw materials, the selection of a vineyard manager is one of the most critical decisions a winery owner can make. The vineyard manager is the person who is arguably most directly responsible for translating terroir, and for transforming the potential of a vineyard site into something tangible.

Although winemakers get most of the attention in Napa Valley, vineyard managers are increasingly growing in stature. Career options are surprisingly similar: one can either commit fully to a single estate, or function more as a consultant and oversee several properties at once. Kelly and Mary Maher, two of Napa’s top vineyard managers who also happen to be married, came up in the industry together but ultimately took different forks in that path. Kelly founded his own company, Kelly Maher Viticultural Services, and currently manages 14 properties in Napa and one in Mexico. Mary, by contrast, has worked exclusively for Bill Harlan and his many projects since 2001. Taken together, the Mahers are directly responsible for the care of a significant number of Napa’s top vineyards, and though each offers their own particular skill set and areas of expertise, both are renowned within Napa Valley for the exceptional quality of their work.

Kelly Maher walking the Moulds Vineyard in Oak Knoll

Kelly Maher was born in Connecticut, the son of a Heublein executive. Heublein had long been a major player in the spirits industry, but in the late 1960s it jumped headlong into the wine business through the acquisition of United Vintners (which had recently purchased Inglenook) as well as Beaulieu Vineyard. Following this massive investment, many key personnel were moved from Connecticut out to Napa Valley. This list famously includes Andy Beckstoffer as well as Kelly’s father- Dick Maher- who brought his family west in 1975. Kelly was five years old at the time, and spent the next several years playing among the valley’s many vines. He was not to linger long, however, as his father’s career kept them on the move. Over the course of several decades, Dick Maher served as President of Beringer, Seagrams, Heublein, and ultimately Christian Brothers. By the time he was ready to strike out on his own, Kelly had attended five different high schools, the final year of which was spent back in Napa, at St. Helena High.

He briefly entertained the notion of becoming an architect, but didn’t get far into his studies before realizing he needed to work with his hands, ideally outdoors. Towards this end, he took some time off from school and returned to Napa, securing a job at Charles Shaw under the watchful eyes of Ric Forman, Scott McLeod, and Reg Oliver. The work was primarily in the cellar, but the short amount of time he was able to spend in the vineyards was sufficient to sway him in that direction.

Tending the vines

Following stints at the University of California at Fresno and Davis, Kelly graduated in 1992 in the midst of an economic crash. He sent out 80 cover letters before receiving an offer from Clos du Val, where he was appointed the director of vineyard and nursery operations. Kelly remained for 4-5 years, working alongside the widely admired Bernard Portet. “I liked working under Bernard,” Kelly says. “It was  different working for the French. They were really into giving me a lot of responsibility, which was great.” For his next move, Kelly spent five years at  Domaine Chandon, where he directly managed 1,600 acres of vineyards across Napa and Sonoma in addition to contracting over 10,000 tons of fruit annually. “Domaine Chandon took five different vineyard jobs and gave them all to me. By the time I left I essentially had the job of nine people,” he pauses to laugh, “that’s called a French promotion!”

In preparation for the millennium, Chandon made far too much sparkling wine, and the strain of the surplus forced Kelly to lay off several of his workers. Seeing this as a cue for change, Kelly tested the consultancy waters, stepping back a bit from Chandon and adding Etude to his roster. After only a year, however, he found himself at another crossroads, when his contract with Chandon ended simultaneously to Etude selling to Beringer. Suddenly committed to life as a consultant, Kelly drew on his professional contacts and childhood connections, and quickly assembled an impressive list of clients.