ONEHOPE (VP Winemaking, Estate Operations, & Head Winemaker)

Mari Wells Coyle was born in California but grew up in Washington, where her father worked as a merchant marine. Because of her love for travelling, her father encouraged Mari to attend a maritime academy after graduating from high school. She also had a strong passion for chemistry and biochemistry, however, and discovered that winemaking had a strong dependence on these sciences. Realizing this prompted her to transfer from the academy to the University of California, Davis, to study viticulture and enology.

After graduating in 2000, Mari apprenticed at wineries in Sonoma and New Zealand before returning to the U.S. in 2001, where she worked under the able tutelage of Merry Edwards, pursuing her first love in varietals, Pinot Noir. But the recreational opportunities of the Sierra Nevada Mountains came calling, so she took a position as the winemaker at Chatom Vineyards in the Sierra Foothills. Subsequently joining the team at David Girard Vineyards in 2004, she became the winemaker there in 2006, where Grenache was now her “Pinot Noir.” During her nearly ten years at Girard, she also produced Rousanne, Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier, and Chardonnay, and created a number of white and red blends based on estate-grown Rhône varietals.

Mari turned to consulting in late 2013, continuing this for two years, after which she was winemaker at Sterling Vineyards until 2017. Since then she has been Director of Wine for ONEHOPE Wine in the Napa Valley.

Mari, like many winemakers, is an avid cook and teaches classes on pairing food and wine. In fact, her love for the combination of food and wine has led her to developing “The Winemaker’s Table” website (www.winemakerstable.com), where her expertise in creativity, tips on pairing, and more can be found.

In her spare time, she can be found rafting, skiing, and biking. She lives in Rescue with her husband Dan and two young sons.