[Condensed] Maria Stuart - R. Stuart & Company Winery Co-Founder, "Cheers to Living"

Maria Stuart - R. Stuart & Company Winery Co-Founder, Owner-Operator

Meet Maria…Between the time Maria interviewed and the release of this podcast, Maria passed away after she completed her journey with cancer. Maria is a timeless treasure to all who crossed paths with her and to all those who are yet to experience the results of her innumerable efforts to make this world a better, happier, more vibrant place. She was born and raised in Michigan and eventually made her way to the International Pinot Noir Celebration where she was taken with Oregon, the Willamette Valley and local winemaker, Rob Stuart. Maria moved to Oregon and, in time, she and Rob married. Maria worked in several marketing and event planning positions in the industry before Rob and her co-founded the R. Stuart & Company Winery where she became well known and loved for the inclusive environment she created for growers, staff, and customers alike. They opened one of the first wine bars in historic downtown McMinnville, OR. The R. Stuart Wine Bar continues to be a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Maria ran blog, “The Life and Time of a Pinot Mom” where she expressed her love of wine, cooking, bringing people together, and those she lived most for… her husband and her children, Joe, Ben, and Charlotte.

Favorite Maria Quotes:

“If it’s one thing I have learned, it’s: keep it simple. Like what else matters? I have had periods of my life where I’ve very high expectations for myself and for the people around me like in my business and, and for my children and one of the things I now know, of course, and embrace and want to pass on to other people is that things don’t have to be perfect to be wonderful…you know a lot things are of imperfectly wonderful…and that gives them their own charm and their own joy so I’m happy to let go of a lot of that pressure.”  -Maria Stuart

“When I first came here to the first IPNC that I went to, the International Pinot Noir Celebration, I saw these people living this life of these beautiful bucolic lives of owning a winery and making wine and taking care of people and cooking them good food and I’m like, “That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want my life to be.” - Maria Stuart

*It’s of favorite quote because then Maria went out and created what she wanted her life to be.

You lived fully Maria. Thank you! To where you are, thank you!! -Ruthie

SPOTIFY “THE RUTHIE PODCAST PLAYLIST” SONG: “Here’s To Life” by Shirley Horn