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Schafer family
Tom, Kathleen, Anna, Nicholas and Stephanie; Founders

As fifth generation Washingtonians, the Schafers embody what their ancestors achieved in timber industry, the need for sustainability. As stewards of the land, the Schafers in the early 1940's designed and planted 20,000 acres of evergreens dedicated to re-forestation. It was the first registered evergreen tree farm in the United States, which still exists today.

Tom is the general manager and visionary of àMaurice. He tapped his thirty-five years of accomplishment in commercial real estate to purchase the best vineyard land in Walla Walla for àMaurice. After two years of studying the Walla Walla Valley he purchased a south facing parcel up Mill Creek. This tranquil, gentle and picturesque vineyard under Tom's leadership will share its bounty for generations to come.

Kathleen is a talented, classically trained artist who brings enthusiasm to the winery. She has an excellent palette and her opinion is always called on and valued at the blending stage of our wine program.

Anna is the co-winemaker and is the passion behind the wine. She is involved in every aspect of the vineyard and winery.

Nicholas brings insight, business acumen, management expertise and technical support to the winery.

Stephanie is invaluable to the overall physical appearance of the winery. As an interior designer she integrates our needs with design and structure.

Anna Schafer
Winemaker, Partner

As one of the founders of àMaurice, Anna has dedicated her time to creating wines with a unique quality. Her talent is her palate and curiosity of winemaking. As a practically trained winemaker she works both hemispheres to taste wine in the vineyard. She works harvest in Mendoza, Argentina for winemaker Paul Hobbs's Viña Cobos. Anna brings to the wine a world perspective having visited thirty-six countries. Her favorite wine experience was in the Szechwan province, enjoying her first Tibetan barley wine!

 

 

 

 

Ken Hart
Vineyard Manager

Ken is known throughout the Walla Walla valley as a vineyard manager who appreciates Mother Nature's dominance and gifts. As a pioneer in sustainable viticulture, he is on the leading edge of vineyard management.

At àMaurice Ken and his experienced crew prepare, test and enhance the soil to ensure a successful and healthy foundation. Ken designed the vineyard for optimal maturity using the sun and wind patterns.

He is a man of great heart and soul which he pours into each vineyard and each vine. Along with his expertise in vineyard management he has a solid and practical knowledge of winemaking. Each decision in the vineyard is with the knowledge that from the vine's first shoot out of the ground he is "growing wine." Ken currently manages more than 120 acres of vineyard land throughout the Columbia Valley.

Rick Trumbull
Soils Manager

Rick is a respected authority in soil. He recognizes the connection of the health of the plant to the quality of the fruit, and that soil is the most complicated food chain on earth.

His goal is to link all aspects of the soil's components It is at this point it becomes a sustainable life cycle and continues to support itself, becoming its own nutritional source.

Through analytical tests, Rick determines the exact calculations of what to introduce to the soil. We are proud to have him on our team and in our dirt.