When life presents an opportunity, sometimes you have to take the leap. That’s exactly what Maxine Holland did when she and her husband purchased Mayer Family Wines in Carson City, and opened Cellar 8 Wine Bar in March.
Holland was born in Cape Town, South Africa. After graduating from high school, she planned to attend law school, until her mother suggested she take a gap year to reassess her priorities. She and her sister traveled to Florida on visas, working and exploring—six months here, six months there. When her visa expired, Holland returned to South Africa and resumed her life. She eventually decided the United States seemed like a better option.
“I still didn’t have a direct path to what I wanted to do,” she said. “I just knew that I wanted to be here, in the United States.”
Fast forward to September 2024, when Holland and her husband were given the opportunity to buy Mayer Family Wines.
“My husband and I came in here all the time, and we would always say this would be such a fun place to own someday,” she said. “This was my dream eventually—you know, like 20 years down the line. I had been studying wine the last couple years, but I never really worked in the wine industry before. I have a passion for it.”
When they were offered the opportunity, they had a short period to make up their minds. Holland and her husband had just gotten married the month before, in August. “Brian and Paula Mayer built this—it was their dream that became ours,” Holland said.
Holland and her general manager, Jessica Brooks, had worked together at a graphic-design and marketing company seven years ago, and Brooks was the person who initially introduced Holland to the world of wine. When Holland bought the wine bar, Brooks was the first person she called, and Brooks helped Holland with the branding. However, Brooks had also previously worked in wine distribution, and when her company merged, Holland offered her a position at the wine bar.
“Jessica has a nuanced palate that can pick up on subtle flavor profiles that others might miss,” Holland said. “I have seen her detect as little as 1 percent cabernet franc in a blend.”
Holland’s goal wasn’t just to own a wine bar; she wanted to create a community space. In South Africa, she said, wineries are family-oriented, and wine is a lifestyle. She aims to make her establishment more than just a place to drink.
“I affectionately refer to it as a ‘third space,’” she said. “You have your home; you have your work; then you have a third space. It’s a space that you go to with people, or alone, or on dates. … I enjoy my customers. I think of them as my friends, and that’s what I want at the end of the day.”
Asked about her selection process for wines, Holland said: “I definitely want to have benchmark wines, and then I want to have elevated wines that people are willing to experiment with—things that are within that $30 range; that is still a safe bet for people to be like, ‘Oh, I’ll try that.’ I definitely want to start moving into higher-end, old-world wines as well.”
She wants people to try new, exciting wines they have never heard about. “But I tell everybody, if you don’t like the wine I suggest, bring it back,” Holland said. “I will refund it and finish it myself. I know that I like the wines that I drink, and I’m confident in what I sell to people.”
Cellar 8 Wine Bar gained its name from the confluence of a lot of eights in Holland’s life. It’s located at 408 N. Carson St.; she and her husband were married in the eighth month; her son was born in the eighth month; and she moved to the United States in 2008, when she was 18.
In addition to being a wine bar, Cellar 8 is also a bottle shop where customers can pick up an amazing wine for dinner or a special event. You’ll also find high-end whiskeys and tequilas on the shelves—but not on the menu. (Holland said if someone really wanted, say, an old fashioned, she might be able to “whip one up” based on what she has available.)
Cellar 8 serves coffee, too. Holland wants to bring back a culture of enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee, moving away from the current “grab and go” trend of plastic cups and drive-throughs.
I highly encourage you to visit Cellar 8 Wine Bar. You may walk in as a customer, but you will leave with new friends and a sense of community.
Cellar 8 Wine Bar is located at 408 N. Carson St., in Carson City. Learn more at cellar8winebar.com.
Update on May 8: This article originally reported that coffee bar at Cellar 8 was “coming soon.” It opened on April 24. —KV