Mari Wells Coyle grew up in Bellingham, Washington; her childhood filled with summers spent camping and fishing with her family in the picturesque San Juan Islands and British Columbia, Canada. Her family had a passion for sourcing fresh ingredients from the Northwest, and every occasion was celebrated by a seasonal meal and special bottle of wine. Sharing delicious home-cooked meals and recipes continues to be a tradition in her family.
With a love for both art and science, she was very intrigued by the study of winemaking. Moreover, she desired a career that would allow her to spend time outdoors in a beautiful setting. This led her to obtain her degree in Viticulture and Enology from University of California, Davis.
Mari joins Sebastiani with over 20 years of winemaking experience. She accepted her first winemaking position at the age of 24, working for a small woman-owned winery. From there, she went on to lead several start-up wineries and has helped more iconic wineries meet modern industry standards. Some notable wineries she worked at include David Girard Vineyards, Sterling Vineyards, and most recently One Hope Wine as the Executive Winemaker.
After spending years in Napa Valley, she has developed a true passion for crafting Cabernet and Bordeaux wines and looks forward to bringing this experience to Sebastiani, crafting the famed Cherryblock Cabernet Sauvignon and Gravel Bed Red. She describes her main role as winemaker “to bring the best fruit to the bottle. Every decision I make is a part of bringing the vineyards to the table in a meaningful way.”
When she is not at the winery, Mari enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with her husband, their two sons, and dog Snoopy. She is also a true outdoor enthusiast and can be found doing all types of outdoor activities around Sonoma County and beyond: biking, hiking, yoga, running, and white-water rafting.