It takes a village to craft a bottle of wine! From the vineyards, to the cellar, to the tasting room and even on the road, each team member contributes to our endeavor.
Tracy Dutton
Founder & President
Tracy Dutton was born and raised in Sebastopol, California where her grandparents, Tony and Carmen Kozlowski established Kozlowski Farms in 1949. At a young age, Tracy began working with her family, picking fresh berries and apples, making jam, and baking with her grandmother and quickly learned the many tasks of the family’s booming business Kozlowski Farms. After undergraduate studies at California State University Chico and Sonoma State, returned to Kozlowski Farms with a full-time position in accounting and enjoyed opportunities to travel with Carol Kozlowski, her mom, Vice President of Sales for the family business. During this time, she met and married the boy from the ranch next door, Joe Dutton. Joe and Tracy started Dutton Estate Winery in 1995 purchasing a20-acre Chardonnay vineyard and tasting room. Today, Tracy oversees and manages the daily operations of Dutton Estate Winery, producing 5,000 cases for Dutton Estate, as well as several high end Sonoma and Napa custom crush clients
“Creating a business for my children to grow into has been my dream since I was a little girl. I am extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to develop a business where I could raise my three daughters, Kyndall, Kylie, and Karmen. I found it rewarding to balance the challenges of my daily life of making a home for my family, being “a farmer’s wife,” and an involved mother in my daughters’ lives and activities, all the while, building a successful business. For me, success is not defined by my business, rather, the achievement of my successful dream. Together, Joe and I created a family and a business that our grown children are working with us in today. Our family is a team of forward-thinking farmers that binds succession for the future to sustain Sonoma County agriculture through our vineyards and our wines. I feel very blessed.”
Joe Dutton
Founder, Dutton Estate Winery ♦ Owner, Dutton Ranch
Joe Dutton was born and raised near the town of Sebastopol on his family’s ranch in the Green Valley. In 1964, five years before Joe was born, his parents, Warren and Gail purchased a parcel of property near the little town of Graton just outside of Sebastopol. The property was planted to French Colombard wine grapes and apples. Warren and Gail and named this land Dutton Ranch. Joe became interested in the family business as a young boy. He grew up picking apples; operating the farm equipment and helping his father oversee the orchards and expanding vineyards every day after school and during summer vacations. Upon graduating from high school, Joe immediately pursued the family farming operation. By staying on the ranch and working beside his father, Joe’s intuitive vision to grow the family vineyard holdings was unlimited. With Joe’s tireless dedication, perseverance and hard work, today Dutton Ranch consists of eighty parcels of property, totaling 1400 acres. 1200 acres of grapes consist of chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, sauvignon blanc, and a few acres of Zinfandel and Pinot Gris. California Certified Organic Apple comprise the remaining acreage farmed, and the majority of the properties are within the Green Valley-Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast wine growing regions. The Dutton Ranch headquarters are located on the original “home ranch”, planted to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as well as several variety of organic apples. The “home ranch”, which is also referred to as “Shop Block”, currently grows the oldest chardonnay vines in west Sonoma County, planted by Joe’s father in 1967.
Robert (Bobby) Donnell
Consulting Winemaker ♦ Winemaking Team
A visit to California in the summer of 2000 changed everything. Bobby fell hard for northern California’s climate and beauty and for his wife Shannon, who was studying viticulture at UC Davis, and who would become his first link into the wine industry. Bobby early career spanned Beringer, St. Clement Vineyards and Provenance Vineyards, while studying at UC Davis and to earn his Winemaking Certificate in 2009. Next at Amici Cellars, he not only created Cabernets and Sauvignon Blancs from some of the best Napa Vvneyards like To Kalon and Missouri Hooper, but also Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley. He found his calling and passion. When Bobby was asked to join the Dutton team in 2017 as Consulting Winemaker, it was an easy decision. This was his dream job… producing small lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, from estate vineyards and working with one of the best-known families in Sonoma County.
“I'm drawn to the Dutton family not only because of their commitment to produce great wines, but their commitment to farming in the Russian River Valley for generations. Today I work with Kylie Dutton working, and she gets to help create her own Dutton story and leave her mark on the Russian River winemaking world. Sharing my dream and vision with the next generation of winemakers is how I help leave my mark and tell my story as a winemaker. Helping craft single vineyard wines and exploring new varietals is a winemaker's dream.”
Kylie Dutton
Assistant Winemaker ♦ Winemaking Team
Kylie is the middle daughter of Joe and Tracy Dutton. As a child, Kylie took an interest in the wine her parents made at Dutton Estate. She loved to smell and describe the different aromatics. Kylie received a bachelor's degree in Agriculture Economics from The University of Arizona and obtained a certificate in Agriculture Leadership and Innovation. Upon college graduation, Kylie chose to follow her natural passion of wine and return to Dutton Estate Winery. Kylie began her journey working in the Cellar alongside Bobby as a Harvest Coordinator, now Assistant Winemaker. She always knew deep down that her love of wine would lead her to winemaking. She continues to be mentored by Consulting Winemaker, Bobby and in Spring 2021, Kylie received her Winemaking Certificate through UC Davis.
“I enjoy winemaking because I get to work with an amazing team to create wines that express and reveal my family story. It is a way for me to carry on the legacy that my family began six generations ago.”
German Zavala
Cellarmaster ♦ Winemaking Team
After immigrating from Mexico German worked with his father Aurelio in Alexander Valley, learning the art and duties of working in the vineyard and with winegrowers. While performing all vineyard tasks like pruning, trellising and leafing and working with the winemaker, he discovered his passion for winemaking. His focus shifted from the vineyard to the cellar and winemaking, perfecting fermentation, take and equipment maintenance, fining, filtrating, bottling and more. In 2010, German took at role at Dutton Estate Winery with then winemaker Terry Adams. Today he works alongside Bobby Donnell and Kylie Dutton as Cellarmaster, producing quality wine. Aside from winemaking he often jumps in on guest tours, sharing his passion and knowledge from years in the wine industry. He lives with his two beautiful children and wife in the Green Valley appellation.
“Making wine begins with a true hardworking artist in the vineyard, making good wine is a skill making fine wine is an art. Seeing the satisfaction and gratification of our guest after they enjoy our wines makes my job all worth it."
Kyndall Dutton
Operations & Business Development
Kyndall is the oldest of the three Dutton girls, and the sixth generation from Sonoma County. Kyndall began her career in the wine industry in 2015. She always had a dream to work with horses and was encouraged by her parents and sisters to purse her passion, a shared enthusiasm with her late grandfather, Warren Dutton. Kyndall studied and worked as a Registered Equine Veterinary Technician for a local mobile practice for four years, along with volunteering for Sonoma CART. Kyndall’s knowledge about horses grew more than she ever expected. As Kyndall enjoyed the years working with equines, she rejoined Dutton Estate Winery in 2022. Looking at the big picture in life, Kyndall realized that there is exponential opportunity for Dutton Estate Winery which she yearned to contribute. With the goal of growing the winery’s future for the sixth and seventh generation, Kyndall is mentored by her mother, Tracy Dutton, the President of Dutton Estate Winery and assisting her with daily winery operations and accounting.
“I am so lucky to wake up every morning and see the vineyard and my horse barn from of my bedroom window. Hard work and dedication go into the beautiful land I call home, and I want to do my part to sustain it and keep it going.”
Laurie Baggs, Wine Educator
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