Martha
Martha’s foray into the wine industry began in 1980 when she married Charlie Barra, a veteran vintner/grape grower. Since that time, she has worked side-by-side with Charlie Barra farming 200 acres of organic-certified vineyards, creating fine wines, and building successful wine brands.
Often referred to as the “Other Martha”, Martha Barra can give Ms Stewart a run for her money when it comes to entertaining, cooking, decorating and most importantly, running a business! A driving force behind the creation of all of the Barra Wine Estates brands (Barra of Mendocino, 59th Harvest and Girasole Vineyards) and starting with just 200 cases of wine in 1997, Martha’s hard work, dedication and keen business sense have helped build wine sales to over 20,000 cases over the last 10 years.
Martha currently spends most of her time on the road in support of Barra’s global distribution network, working with the winemakers to set flavor profiles, managing all of the organic certification processes, and overseeing all private label and bulk wine relationships. And Martha’s desire to help promote not just the Barra brands, but all Mendocino County wines is reflected in the time she dedicates to serve on the board of the Mendocino Winegrape and Wine Commission, a grape-tax funded association that works to increase awareness for Mendocino County within both the consumer and the trade communities.
Martha’s special interests include cooking and entertaining with emphasis on food and wine pairings, traveling to Europe, studying architecture and remodeling houses. She also participates in her community by raising funds for museums, colleges and other foundations in need of additional resources.
Current favorite bottle of wine: BARRA of Mendocino 2004 Muscat Canelli
Favorite food: Any kind of seafood (especially freshly picked mussels from the Mendocino Coast)
Favorite band: The Eagles
Favorite saying/words of wisdom: “It’s better to burn out than rust out”
