Ulupalakua, Hawaii (Mar. 16, 2017) – Mark Beaman is the new winemaker for MauiWine overseeing all aspects of winemaking. As former associate winemaker for Mendocino Wine Company, Beaman brings tremendous wealth of experience.
“We are heading towards an exciting future, and Mark is here to help us design incredible wines and expand our production,” says Paula Hegele, president of MauiWine. “His strong background in agriculture, science and hands-on working experience from the vineyard to the finished bottle are the skills we need to evolve and continue our journey in managing a successful vineyard and crafting the best wines we can to reflect our Island.”
Beaman’s ascent in winemaking started at Columbia Crest Winery in Washington. He continued his growth with Villa Mt. Eden and Conn Creek Winery of Napa, until moving to Mendocino Wine Company as an enologist working all aspects of winemaking eventually becoming the associate winemaker. Beaman has crafted multiple wines with ratings of 90+ points by Wine Enthusiast and numerous gold medals.
Now on Maui, Beaman is inspired by the rare characteristics and real joy that abounds on the island – its people, nature and culture. He is also looking forward to working with an experienced team.
“MauiWine is in an exciting period of winemaking,” says Beaman. “The vines are mature having found their footing just as the vineyard crew achieves an incredible level of awareness of the unique needs and cycles of the vineyard. The combination of the vines’ balance with the soil and the efficiency and skill of the workers indicate that the best is yet to come. The cellar and lab have many harvests experience to draw from making for an outstanding all-around team. I am incredibly grateful to be part of this team.”
Beaman oversees MauiWine’s three wine collections:
- Pineapple: Maui Blanc, Maui Splash and Hula o Maui – made with 100 percent Maui-Gold pineapples.
- Rose Ranch: Mele, Lehua and Lokelani – blends that pay tribute to the destination.
- Ulupalakua Vineyards: Syrah, Grenache, Malbec, Rose, Chenin Blanc and Viognier – exclusive estate wines grown, crafted and bottled at the winery.
Embracing the natural environment as inspiration is also a big driver for Beaman when creating wines. His passion for microclimates, terroir and uniqueness of the land makes Maui an exciting destination to craft wines that evoke a true sense of place.
According to Beaman, wine is time travel. “When you smell and taste wine, it’s nostalgic, triggering feelings of returning back to a time, memory or place. I want people to travel to Maui when they open our wines. From the sweet-golden pineapples grown on Hali’imaile to the volcanic soil that feeds our six varietals at Ulupalakua Vineyards, I want them to experience the vibrancy of Maui with each bottle.”
Beaman has always embraced unique challenges and opportunities in designing wines that reflect specific destinations or themes. As the previous winemaker for Wines That Rock, he crafted wines for famous albums of rock bands including Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, The Police, Woodstock and Rolling Stones. One of his favorites is a lineup he crafted in partnership with Fifty Shades of Grey author, E.L. James.
Winemaking is not Beaman’s only passion, he is charitable with his time and skills. After earning his bachelor’s degree in geology and environmental studies at Whitman College in Washington, he served on the Peace Corps in Tanzania, Africa for two years as an agricultural advisor and agro-forestry volunteer in remote villages. He also supported the National Park Service in Cumberland, Georgia as a volunteer map marker – plotting boundaries of the island’s mobile shore justifying planting native grasses to support the dunes from storms that endangered nesting locations for turtles.
Beaman grew up in a small rural town in Washington called Touchet (only 11 students in his high-school graduating class) raising cattle and growing crops such as wheat and alfalfa. He values and understands the delicate world and science of agriculture, which is why it’s no surprise that his future led him to winemaking because creating good wines start with growing good grapes.
MauiWine is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with tastings of its Pineapple, Ulupalakua Vineyards and Rose Ranch wines available throughout the day in the tasting room. Complimentary tours of the estate, cellar and historic grounds are at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Private tours and tastings are available with advance reservations. For groups of ten or more, reservations is requested. For more information, call 808-878-6058.
About MauiWine: MauiWine is the largest winery on the Hawaiian Islands and the only one in Maui. Since 1974, it has been committed to growing and creating quality wines that are enjoyable and capture the essence of Maui through its pineapple, estate-grown and traditional methode sparkling wines. Its 23-acre vineyard grows six varietals including syrah, malbec, grenache, viognier, chenin blanc and gewürztraminer. The vineyards and winery are located in Ulupalakua, Maui’s upcountry on the southern slopes of Haleakala volcano. MauiWine embraces the agriculture and hospitality industries and its responsibility to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture. For more information or to schedule a private tasting and tour, visit www.mauiwine.com or call 808-878-6058.
