From early on, Craig has felt a connection with nature.

So it was not surprising that when entering the world as a young man he decided to learn more about it. He started out earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Plant Science, and followed that up with a Master’s Degree in Enology, both from the University of California at Davis.

Next came his hands-on education, in the form of two apprenticeships. First as a Harvest Intern under Cathy Corison and Mia Klein at Chappellet Vineyard, and then three years as Assistant Winemaker under Bob Foley at Markham Vineyards.

He then became a full-fledged Winemaker and authored his first wine (93 points, Wine Spectator) at Cain Vineyard and Winery. Since then his wines have received great acclaim. As Winemaker for Spring Mountain Vineyard he created two vintages. One earning a ranking of Number 17 in The World.

Next, Craig teamed up with Rawson Kelham to create Kelham-Maclean Wines, where two of his wines were designated a Wine Enthusiast Editor’s Choice. Subsequently, Craig has served as independent winemaker for a host of Vineyards, including Ahnfeldt, Vito, Bialla, Brookdale, Dos Lagos, Ilsey, Juslyn, and Schrader.

Craig is currently the winemaker for his own brand, MacLean Wines, and his newest venture, JAQK Cellars.

Email Craig: craig@jaqkcellars.com