Mindy Mayer and the Grit Behind Kerry Hill Winery
Celebrating women in Idaho wine during International Women’s Month
March marks International Women’s Month—a time to celebrate women whose courage, vision, and leadership shape the future. In Idaho’s wine country, few embody those traits more clearly than Mindy Mayer, the founder and force behind Kerry Hill Winery in Wilder. It is the embodiment of resilience—refined by loss, rebuilt with purpose, and sustained by resolve—and a pursuit of excellence shaped by experience.
Moving Forward From An Unthinkable Tragedy: An Unlikely Path to the Vineyard
Mayer did not come to wine through the usual path. She came through grief—and through grit. Before Kerry Hill, she was one of the most successful McDonald’s franchise owners in the Northwest. She purchased her first McDonald’s on August 1, 1990, becoming the first woman franchisee in Oregon and eventually owning 14 restaurants. Over time, she began transferring ownership to her daughter and son-in-law. She recently sold her final location, marking the end of a defining chapter.
In 2007, at age 60, Mayer survived a devastating floatplane crash in Alaska that claimed the lives of five members of her family across three generations: her husband David, her son Eric, her daughter‑in‑law Christine, and twin grandchildren Allison and Trevor. She suffered a broken pelvis and injuries so severe doctors questioned whether she would survive.
“They thought I wasn’t going to live or walk,” she later said. She did both. And she didn’t go back to the life she had. She forged a new one. “I thought, you know what—I’m just darn lucky to be alive,” Mayer reflected. “I better appreciate it and figure out a new
way to make new memories.”
Kerry Hill Sheep, ‘Shep’ the Dog, and a New Beginning
Drawn to Idaho through a love of dogs and to set a new path forward, Mayer began her journey not with vines—but with a Border Collie named Shep. “I just needed a new focus,” she said. Her newfound passion for sheepdog trials soon led her to Kerry Hill sheep—a heritage breed from Northern Ireland, England, and Wales with distinctive black‑and‑white markings. She became the first in the United States to pursue breeding pure Kerry Hill sheep—an effort recently recognized with the National Kerry Hill Grand Champion Ram Award.
When Mayer is in, she is fully committed!
Reclaiming a Forgotten Idaho Vineyard With Purpose
While spending time in Idaho to train for sheepdog competitions, Mayer purchased a farm in Wilder. As Idaho’s wine industry began to emerge, opportunity followed. A neglected 35-year-old vineyard near her farm came up for sale. Planted with Malbec, Carménère, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, and other varietals, the vines had gone years without proper care. The risk was real. She bought it anyway. She eventually named the property Kerry Hill, honoring the sheep that had quietly carried her forward.
Kerry Hill Winery opened its tasting room in 2019 and was quickly named Idaho Winery to Watch. Today, the vineyard is fully certified sustainable—LIVE-certified, Salmon-Safe, and a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Bees thrive in a whimsical “McHive.” Raptors and owls hunt nearby. Every detail reflects Mayer’s belief that structure and sustainability belong together.
“At McDonald’s, you have gold standard fries and gold standard service,” she said. “That’s how I view my vineyard—it should be the gold standard.”
A Thoughtful Portfolio of Idaho Wines with Personal Meaning
Working with winemakers Will Wetmore (Veer Wine Project), Hailey Minder (3100 Cellars), James Nederend (Koenig Vineyards), and Isabelle Dutartre—who crafts Kerry Hill’s Pinot Noir from a small-lot of grapes grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley at De Ponte Cellars—Mayer has built a small but intentional portfolio.
Kerry Hill offers a wide range of wines, from sparkling expressions to private estate reds. Her private reserve Malbec, grown onsite from Idaho’s oldest Malbec vines, has garnered national attention and is served at an upscale Boise steakhouse.
Most personal is Allison’s Song, a sparkling Blanc de Blanc Chardonnay made using the traditional method. Mayer hadn’t planned a memorial wine—until her label artist sent over original artwork inspired by Idaho’s flora and fauna. One image stopped her cold: the Syringa, Idaho’s state flower.
“It was just so sweet,” she said. “As sweet as my granddaughter was.” Allison’s Song is not a memorial, she said, but a celebration. For each bottle sold, Mayer donates to the Ronald McDonald House, a cause long close to her heart. A companion wine honoring Allison’s twin brother, Trevor, is currently in development.
An Idaho Wine Destination Rooted in Restoration
Kerry Hill today is a place that invites you to slow down. On weekends, music drifts across the vineyard. Events gather friends and families under open skies. In cooler months, guests linger over mulled wine by the fire.
“My place is going to be a destination—even if it’s in the middle of nowhere,” Mayer once said. “My highest priority is on the customer experience. That’s just the way I am.”
She walks the vineyard with her dogs every day. She checks on the sheep. She builds quietly, steadily—without shortcuts. “We’re not just growing grapes,” she said. “We’re rebuilding an ecosystem and providing a meaningful experience for our guests.”
Celebrating Women Who Build with Vision and Resolve
As Idaho celebrates International Women’s Month, Mindy Mayer’s story stands as a testament to what it means not only to lead—but to rebuild.
“I think women can do anything,” she said. “If I could offer one thing, it’s this: never stop creating. Never stop looking forward.” Kerry Hill is not simply a winery you visit. It is a story you feel—and one that stays with you long after the last glass is poured. It did for me.