Villa Creek Cellars on the MAHA Estate has been a labor of love for the Cherry family for more than 20 years. Cris and JoAnn Cherry began their viticultural journey in 1996 when they moved to Paso Robles with their three-year-old daughter, Camille, and one-year-old son, Henri.
In 2003, Cris and JoAnn purchased 60 acres of land on the west side of Paso Robles. The property, with elevations ranging from 1,500 to 1,800 feet and south-facing slopes of calcareous and siliceous soils, mirrors the great estates of the Rhône Valley in France and the stunning hills of Priorat in Spain.
Over the next 10 years, Cris and JoAnn built a home to raise their family, developed a boutique winery, and planted 13 acres with seven different Rhône varietals. From the beginning, Cris focused on farming and winemaking, while JoAnn was driven by an intense love of the land and a commitment to sustainable viticulture. The Cherrys have farmed the MAHA Estate organically and biodynamically since day one. They received CCOF organic and Demeter BIODYNAMIC certifications in 2015. In 2019, the Cherrys introduced their MAHA Estate label. The winery became the sixth in the world to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification, focusing on soil health, carbon sequestration, animal welfare, and improving the lives of those who work on the farm. The end result - exceptional wines that have earned high praise from top wine critics worldwide for being meticulously crafted, well-balanced and elegant.
As the vines on MAHA Estate have grown and matured, so have Camille and Henri. After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Camille joined the team and is now the Director of Customer Relations. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara, Henri also joined the team as Director of California and Direct Sales. Rounding out the core group is winemaker Oliver Mikkelsen. Oliver, a 2015 graduate of UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Enology, joined the team in 2020 after working at various wineries and vineyards in Napa Valley, Sonoma, Spain and Australia.
The strength of the MAHA and Villa Creek team is essential to the quality of the wine produced. Over the last 20 years, that strength has been tested, most profoundly by the loss of JoAnn, who recently passed away after a five-year battle with cancer. Just as stressed vines yield complex wine, our family, through grief, has forged a deeper bond. JoAnn’s creative force, iconic style, devotion, and warm love live on in every aspect of what we do. JoAnn’s spirit endures in all we do, and her memory remains forever in our hearts.
2024 Pardis & Frank Stitt — Stitt Restaurant Group
2023 Rob Fisher — Fisher Vineyards
2022 Shannon Staglin — Staglin Family Vineyard & Artie Johnson - Le Artishasic
2021 Donelan Family Wines
2020 Susan and Tom Lowder — Holman Ranch
2019 Eric Jensen — Booker Vineyards
2018 Andy Peay — Peay Vineyards
2017 Jake Krausz — Arkenstone Vineyards
2017 Wes Steffens — Vineyard 7 & 8
2016 Dr. Madaiah Revana — Revana Family Vineyard
2015 Jasmine Hirsch — Hirsch Vineyards
2015 Fern Frias — Frias Family Vineyard
2014 Jim Clendenen — Au Bon Climat
2013 Alan Viader — Viader
2012 Anne and Chuck McMinn — Vineyard 29
2011 Beth Nickel — Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel, Dolce, EnRoute
2010 Peter Thompson — Andrew Geoffrey Vineyards
2009 Ann and Dick Grace — Grace Family Vineyards
2008 Tom and Susan Curtin — Five Sons and DuMOL
2007 Juelle and Fred Fisher — Fisher Vineyards
2006 Grace and Ken Evenstad — Domaine Serene
2005 Margie & Kerry Murphy and Janet & Michael Verlander — DuMOL
2004 Rosalind, Jacques and Jeremy Seysses — Domaine Dujac
2003 Joe Davis — Arcadian
2002 Margaret Duckhorn — Duckhorn Vineyards
2001 Michael Honig — Honig Vineyards
2000 Micki and David Voisard — Napa Valley Artists
1999 Morgan and Jim Clendenen — Au Bon Climat/Cold Heaven
1998 Teresa Norton and Tom Paine — Vineyard 29
1997 Diane and John Livingston —Livingston-Moffett
1996 Shari and Garen Staglin — Staglin Family
1995 Brice Jones — Sonoma Cutrer
1994 Robin Lail — Lail Vineyards
1993 Margrit and Robert Mondavi — Robert Mondavi Winery
1992 Rusty Staub — New York restauranteur and philanthropist
1991 Ann and Dick Grace — Grace Family Vineyards
1990 First Wine Auction
