Brophy Clark Cellars is a unique partnership that combines the talents of winemaker, John Clark with the viticulture expertise of his wife, Kelley Brophy Clark. Wine has been their shared passion for more than 30 years. It was always their dream to make wine together and in 1996 Brophy Clark Cellars was born.
Their goal is to produce expressive premium wines from some of the finest vineyards on the Central Coast and offer them at a good value. The Clarks focus on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rhône blends and Zinfandel—varietals they feel excel in this region.
Brophy Clark Cellars produces approximately 1,000 cases of wine annually. Working with small lots, John and Kelley are able to handcraft each wine and personally handle all phases of the winemaking process. Vineyard blocks are hand-selected by Kelley and John tailors winemaking techniques to each lot, bringing to life the varietal character and vineyard expression of the fruit.
More about John
A native of La Jolla, California, John received a BA from the University of California, San Diego in chemistry with a specialization in biochemistry in 1977. He went on to obtain a Master’s degree in agricultural science/enology from California State University, Fresno in 1985.
John got his start in the wine industry in 1985 when he was hired as a cellar worker at Corbett Canyon Vineyards in the Edna Valley. Within two years, he was promoted to Winemaker and was eventually named Vice President of Premium Wines for The Wine Group at their Monterey County facility.
John retired from The Wine Group in 2016 and serves as Consulting Winemaker for Rava Wines in Paso Robles.
More about Kelley
Kelley was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona and received a Bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, San Diego in 1981. She continued her studies at California State University, Fresno and earned an MS in agricultural science with a specialization in viticulture in 1986.
In 1988, Kelley founded her own business, Coastal Vineyard Consulting, which specializes in pest management and viticultural consulting. She covers more than 2,000 acres on the Central Coast and consults for many of the region’s preeminent vineyards.
Kelley and John reside in Arroyo Grande and when they are not busy making their Brophy Clark Wines, they enjoy hiking, tennis, travel and spending time at their vacation home on the Baja peninsula.
