ABOUT WINE ACCLAIM WINE CLUB EVENTS BLOG VISIT US CONTACT TRADITION • HERITAGE • LEGACY Join Our Newsletter History Stemilt Creek Winery was founded by Kyle and Jan Mathison in Wenatchee, WA. The Mathison’s are fourth generation farmers. The family has grown fruit trees in the area since Thomas Cyle originally homesteaded in 1893. Jan Mathison was the driving force behind Stemilt Creek’s inception and operation. She helped define our style with her clarity of vision. Jan made wine from the heart, and without compromise, taking her time to craft delicious wines that people immediately recognized as honest expressions. Because of Jan’s talent in the winery, as well as the appealing hospitality of the Mathison’s, Stemilt Creek soon developed a strong following and extensive Wine Club membership. Jan maintained her role as head winemaker at Stemilt Creek through the 2013 vintage. She continues to share in Stemilt Creek Winery successes. Vineyard and Winery In 2001 the first vineyards were planted, and in 2003 the Stemilt Creek Winery was officially bonded. Our vineyards are situated at 1,600 feet elevation within the Wenatchee foothills on steep northwest facing slopes. Afternoon breezes further accentuate our warm days and cool nights which is crucial for the ideal ripening of wine grapes. We feed the vineyard our rich, world famous compost in the fall to replenish the soil. The vines are high density planted, and low-yield, ensuring the intensity of developing flavors. These site characteristics coax out a unique and recognizable signature among our wines – focused fruit underlying a predominantly earthy complexity. We specialize in medium to full-bodied red wines. Our production facility is minimalist in keeping with our non-interventionist approach. Small blocks are harvested and fermented in 200 gallon vessels, then punched down on a tailored schedule for extraction. After a steady fermentation and approximately 4-6 weeks on skins our wines are pressed off. 100% of our red wines are barrel aged, estate wines. Our wines spend between 20 and 28 months in barrel depending on product prior to bottling. The best part is the rewarding experience you’ll encounter once you taste our wines. Then you’ll know why we say – Legacy Tradition Heritage. Stemilt Creek Winery is truly a local tradition worth remembering. Kyle Mathison – Owner & Grower Kyle Mathison is a fourth-generation grower who passionately farms Kyle Mathison Orchards atop Stemilt Hill in Wenatchee, Washington, the same locale that his ancestors homesteaded more than a century ago. Kyle is the son of Stemilt’s late founder, Tom Mathison, and the father of current president, West Mathison and director of sales, Tate Mathison. Kyle gets up each day with one mission in mind – to grow world-famous fruit. For Kyle, being world famous is a journey, not a destination. He feeds his trees and vineyards with homemade, nutrient-rich compost, plants the right varieties for the right locales, takes great care when harvesting, and even watches the lunar calendar to produce the most flavorful fruit. Kyle’s passion for growing and his commitment to sustainability has earned him great recognition. In 2013 he was named OTA’s Organic Grower of the Year. But more importantly, he knows he has succeeded when he builds memory and trust with you, by providing great tasting fruit. Seth Cohen – Winemaker Seth Cohen joined our team in 2019 as acting winemaker and many of you will see him around out tasting rooms and club events in the coming years. Seth has been in the grape and wine industry for 20 years and most recently the founding department head of the Fermentation Sciences program at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. He and his wife, Leah, returned to the Northwest two years ago to embark on the next chapter of their lives. Seth, with his two business partners, is making cider and wine under the label Archibald James in Cashmere. Both Seth and the Stemilt Creek Winery team see this opportunity as a synergistic working relationship, with both groups holding close a philosophy of making high quality wines from high quality local fruits. We are excited about the opportunity to work with Seth and he looks forward to meeting you all. Shelly Lindemann – Lead Tasting Room and Outside Sales Supervisor Shelly Lindemann has worked for Stemilt Creek Winery for over seven years, beginning in the spring of 2013. She has worked closely with the general managers and owners to give our customers an attentive and inviting experience within our local tasting rooms. A native of Washington State, Shelly moved to the Wenatchee Valley from Pullman, where she first attended WSU studying business, and later, a local program in cosmetology. Before moving to Wenatchee she worked in a spa, as well as having managed an interior design business. While in Wenatchee she quickly found a passion for wine. Thanks in part to her customer service background Shelly excelled within the wine industry, allowing her to showcase her many aptitudes. Working at Stemilt Creek has been a near perfect fit for both parties! Shelly is married to her husband Kelly, (a member of the Chelan County Fire Department) and has four children. She enjoys camping, traveling, sports, and her family. Oscar Rubio – Viticulturist Oscar Rubio was born in the city of Zamora in the Mexican state of Michoacán. Zamora is located on the Tarascan Plateau in the northwestern part of the state at an elevation of 5,141 feet above sea level. Zamora is surrounded by the fertile Tzirondaro Valley which is an important agricultural area that exports large amounts of produce to the United States. He finds his native city shares many parallels to his adopted home of the past fourteen years, the apple capital of the world, Wenatchee. Oscar has worked at Kyle Mathison Orchards since 2012 when he started doing seasonal work as a cherry picker. After graduating from Wenatchee High School he started working full time on multiple tasks as a general laborer learning extensively about cherry, apple, grape, and pear crops. In 2020, he had the opportunity to oversee the nursery. Growing world famous trees gives him a sense of pride and satisfaction. In his role as viticulturist, Oscar is excited to continue to learn about the complex and nuanced methods of producing quality wine grapes. Winemaker Seth Cohen actively mentors Oscar on his way to becoming a vine specialist. Oscar finds the work as rewarding as it is challenging. In his free time, Oscar enjoys playing soccer and exercising. He also savors typical Mexican dishes, especially in the company of friends and family. Bertha Chavez – Assistant Winemaker Bertha Chavez was born in Michoacán, Mexico and remained there through the 9th grade. She immigrated to Washington state in 1994. Bertha began working at Kyle Mathison Orchards in 1995. She has held numerous positions related to our extensive tree fruit operations. Bertha started working in the vineyard seasonally, and in 2010 enrolled in viticulture courses through Wenatchee Valley College. To this day she continues to participate in continued development, by studying horticulture, pest management and other agricultural classes. 2012 was Bertha’s first year working in the winery. She found the work exciting and immediately felt a compelled to learn as much as she could about winemaking. Jan Mathison worked directly with Bertha, mentoring her introduction to the world of wine. Bertha has since become a key player on our winemaking team. She functions admirably as the assistant winemaker for Stemilt Creek winery. Her versatility with roles in both the vineyard and winery is an asset to our operation. Bertha enjoys time with her husband Raul and the rest of her family, including first born Jaime, and especially her new son Gael (born in June 2017.) Wenatchee Tasting Room 110 N. Wenatchee Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801 509.665.3485