Martha McClellan earned a degree in Oenology and Viticulture form Geisenheim University in Germany and then spent 10 years perfecting her winemaking skills in Germany, Australia, and the U.S. She joined Merryvale Vineyards as Assistant Winemaker in 1995 and while there began working for Harlan Estate as well, which recruited her in 1997. At Harlan, she made wines through the 2000 vintage before moving on to focus her talents and efforts on the now highly sought after wines of Sloan Estate in 2001.
There she oversees production all the way from the vineyard to the bottle. Martha uses 100 percent estate grapes to produce Sloan’s Proprietary Reds, which are made primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon. She also spent three years leading the winemaking and vineyards at Blankiet Estate, taking over the 2006, 2007, and 2008 vintages and bringing the winery into the realm of esteemed wines in Napa Valley. Martha was also responsible for the inaugural vintage at Checkerboard Vineyards, a boutique winery, in 2006 and continues to make its wines. She currently is the consulting winemaker at Harlan Estate and Hamel Family Wines.
After years of practicing the skills of their shared passion at other venues, Martha McClellan and Robert Levy, her husband, combined their individual experiences in an independent endeavor of their own called Levy & McClellan. They and their three children live in St. Helena.