Hale Mary is a small-lot producer of Russian River Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, handcrafted in a balanced, elegant style using fruit from some of the finest vineyards in the Russian River Valley. Our first vintage was a 2003 Russian River Pinot Noir, made in the Marin County garage of husband and wife team Anthony and Mary Bourke, along with brother Sean. Our love affair with Pinot Noir began in the 1970s through our family’s founding partnership with several of the wineries that were among the first to bring international recognition to California wines. Today, we’ve evolved beyond our humble garagiste roots, but we remain as passionate as ever about Pinot Noir.
What’s in a Name? The Inspiration Behind Hale Mary
Hale adj. \ˈhāl\ Definition: Retaining exceptional health and vigor, as in hale and hearty
We source our grapes exclusively from the Russian River Valley. We believe its cool climate and unique terroir produce among the world’s finest, most sublime Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Our wines honor hale and hearty Mary Bourke, and all those who have faced cancer. Wine brings us together to celebrate the preciousness of life and the relationships that make it special: the people, places, and pairings between great food and wine.
The driving force behind world-class wines crafted by fanatic oenophiles; and the inspiration that guided us through our early days as garagistes, even when it felt like a Hail Mary pass in the middle of our busy lives.
Hale Mary Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are made in an Old World style, using minimal intervention to allow the wines to reveal the sensuous, complex qualities of these exceptional varietals. Our grapes are sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the cool growing regions of the Russian River Valley, and are patiently handcrafted into balanced, food-friendly wines that age exceptionally well. Hale Mary wines are made in small lots and only available at fine restaurants and through the Hale Mary Mailing List. Please see below for a list of our restaurant partners and to learn more about joining our mailing list.
We believe great wines start with great fruit. And we believe the Russian River Valley offers the perfect terroir to create world-class wines that capture the sensuous qualities of exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Limited quantities of Hale Mary wines are available on a first come, first-serve basis. Share our love for these beautifully handcrafted wines by joining our mailing list. Together, let’s celebrate the goodness that flows from the vines!
Anthony grew up immersed in the world of wine. His family were initial investors in Chalone and Ravenswood Wineries, which exposed Anthony early on to the winemaking brilliance of Joel Peterson and the late Dick Graff. Upon graduation from UC Berkeley, where he wrote his senior thesis on the post-prohibition recovery of the California wine industry, Anthony continued to develop his passion for fine wine by joining the winemaking team at Carmenet Winery under the tutelage of Jeff Baker and Pam Starr. Bourke took a “brief” hiatus from the winemaking world while he pursued his life dream of flying F-16’s for the US Air Force and the California Air National Guard. After serving his country for 20 years, “AB” returned to the Bay Area, where he served as a Director on the Board of Merry Edwards Winery from 2003 until their successful sale to Louis Roederer in 2019. In 2003, Bourke launched his own wine brand from his Marin County garage with the help of his wife, neighbors and his brother Dr. Sean Bourke under the Hale Mary label. In 2007, they moved winemaking operations to Sebastopol and partnered with Ken and Akiko Freeman to continue his pursuit of making elegant Russian River Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In his spare time, Anthony enjoys surfing, skiing, traveling and spending time with family and friends. Bourke is the founder and CEO of Mach 2 Consulting, where he travels the world teaching corporate management how to leverage fighter pilot principles to the world of business.
Raised in the Napa Valley, Mary Bourke has always been intrigued by the wine industry. She met her husband, Anthony, at UC Berkeley, where they worked at some of the area’s finest restaurants and developed their palates and interest in wine. Mary fondly recalls their early efforts as humble garagistes, when their three children, friends and family helped to crush, bottle and label their wines by hand in the Bourke driveway. In addition to her role with Hale Mary, she works in fundraising and event planning — and plays the drums in rock and jazz bands for fun.
The unique experience of managing a Sonoma County custom crush winery for 10 years exposed him to all facets of high-end winemaking. During this time, Matt and his wife, Sara Vaughn, launched Vaughn Duffy Wines. Since then, Matt has crafted countless acclaimed wines for Vaughn Duffy and the other wineries for whom he consults. In 2023, Vaughn Duffy’s Pinot Noir won the North Coast Wine Competition, taking the top prize of 1,200 wines entered. Over the years, Matt’s winemaking talents have been behind many boutique Sonoma wine brands, including Easkoot Cellars, Baker Lane Vineyards, Domaine Della, August Briggs Winery and Naidu Wines.
Sean Bourke is a physician and entrepreneur whose love for Russian River Pinot Noir was fed by the enthusiasm of his oenophile father, a former Burgundy broker and investor in several early California wineries and Michelin starred restaurants. Sean fondly recalls sublime California and Burgundy wines served at the Bourke dinner table that inspired his lifelong appreciation for the sensuous qualities of a well-made California Pinot Noir. He counts great wine and food pairings, friendships and adventures along the wine trail among the things that make life special.
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