Maria Stuart Scholarship Fund
Maria embodied the definition of hospitality in every facet of her life. She valued the impact of the written and spoken word, anticipated the needs of others, and had her eye on even the smallest of details. Her day to day actions exuded warmth, kindness, generosity, and a desire to better the human experience of those around her. Maria’s vision, both professionally and personally, was to use her knowledge of the hospitality industry to educate and prepare those around her to excel in their own endeavors.
Shortly after Maria’s passing, the Maria Stuart Memorial Scholarship Fund was founded at Linfield University through the Evenstad Center for Wine Education. This scholarship provides students the opportunity to gain an understanding of the importance of hospitality, marketing, and communication within the wine industry – all pillars which Maria fiercely believed in.
We are proud to share that Maria’s scholarship was officially endowed in August of 2022 at $50,000 – a process which typically takes years and was accomplished in 7 months – and has begun earning in perpetuity. The recipients of this scholarship will be known as the Maria Stuart Wine Studies Scholar. The first recipient was selected and awarded in the fall of 2023.
Donations to the Maria Stuart Memorial Scholarship can be directed to Linfield University. On behalf of Rob and the Stuart family, thank you for your support in continuing Maria’s legacy and building the next generation of wine stewards in the Willamette Valley and beyond.
Pinot Mom Blog & Legacy
Among Maria’s many talents was her ability to curate a table for those she loved. Each harvest, Maria transformed the Stuart’s family home into a gathering space for the tasting room and cellar staff to celebrate the day’s hard work, each other, and the wines of R. Stuart. A fixture of the Stuart’s living room is the collection of cookbooks, with shelves slightly bowed in the middle from the weight of inspiration which Maria referred to.
A tenant of Maria’s philosophy was that a good meal has the ability to change the world. She spent an immense amount of time curating and selecting recipes to pair with the wines of every shipment to our club members. To Maria, it was never “work” – rather it was an expression of her love in the purest form.
We are lucky to still have access to Maria’s voice and incredible taste for a fine meal at our fingertips through her Pinot Mom Blog. As it reads on her site, “Nothing makes me happier than gathering people around my table and serving them food that nourishes both body and soul. People often tell me that I’m living their dream life. And truthfully, I’m living mine too.”
We invite you to explore the recipes and stories of Maria below. All we ask is that if you make a recipe, that you share it with the people you love and a beautiful bottle of R. Stuart wine.