When Dutcher Crossing proprietor Debra Mathy fulfilled her lifelong dream of owning a winery in the renowned wine region of Sonoma County, it wasn’t her knowledge of wine that put her team on the path to success. Instead, it was Debra’s unfaltering perception of good character in people blended with a dream to make wines of depth and character that represent their origin.

With her father’s guidance, Debra, an educator by training, pursued her dream of owning a winery from 2001 to 2007 when she discovered Dutcher Crossing in the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County.

When Debra purchased Dutcher Crossing in 2007, the winery came with 35 acres and made five wines. Under Debra’s ownership, the winemaking team bottled eight wines within the first two years, and they have grown exponentially from there. Over the past ten years, Debra has created a dedicated team who shares her vision, entrepreneurial spirit and passion for quality in all they do. What makes Dutcher Crossing different from other wineries is a team approach and common goal to make great wine. Today, Dutcher Crossing offers 30+ wines depending on the year from 7 wine regions in Sonoma and Napa counties and owns 400 acres of estate-designated vineyards.

An avid cyclist and athlete, Debra pays homage to her passion and to her father by showcasing a vintage high-wheel bicycle on the label, representing the journey and road ahead. Debra has completed wine and viticulture courses at U.C. Davis and has degrees from University of Arizona and Colorado State University.

BILL SMART

Vice President and General Manager

Born in Reston, Virginia, Bill spent the first few years of his childhood on the East Coast before moving west with his family.  Landing in Reno, NV and then Scottsdale, AZ,  his interest in food and wine was sparked by family travels throughout Europe during his high school and college years. After attending Northern Arizona University where he earned a degree in Marketing and Finance, Bill moved to California where he discovered a passion for wine country and the wine industry. Early in his career, Bill worked for several large advertising agencies specializing in the wine industry.  Armed with business savvy and a desire to work for a winery, Bill took a job at Pine Ridge in Napa Valley for a brief stint in their tasting room.  Not long after joining Pine Ridge, Bill was hired at St. Supery Vineyards and Winery in Rutherford, CA.  In his role as Marketing Assistant, Bill learned the ropes from some of the brightest minds in the wine industry.

In January 2005, Bill joined Dry Creek Vineyard.  The combination of his enthusiasm for the wine business and solid background in public relations and marketing has made Bill one of the most sought after representatives of this Sonoma County winery

In November 2015, Bill accepted the role as Vice President and General Manager of Lambert Bridge Winery.  Lambert Bridge is considered a hidden gem in Sonoma County.  Exceptional wines and unforgettable experiences are what define the winery’s comfortable estate tucked into three acres on West Dry Creek Road.  Lambert Bridge is the perfect environment to savor artisanal wines recognized for their balance, elegance and nuances of old world structure

When he’s not working for Lambert Bridge, Bill can be found on the golf course in the summer or on the ski slopes during the winter.  In August of 2012, Bill and his wife Danielle welcomed their first child, Genevieve Catherine Smart.  Then in June 2015, they welcomed their second child, Evelyn Elizabeth Smart.  Bill and Danielle enjoy cooking meals and drinking a good glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.  A resident of Healdsburg, CA, Bill is right at home in wine country and enjoys all aspects of his life.

CLAY MAURITSON

OWNER / WINEMAKER

Born and raised in the Dry Creek Valley, Clay is part of the sixth generation of a grape-growing family. Pioneers from Sweden, they raised Merino sheep for the wool and planted their first vines on land they settled in 1868, an area that now anchors the Rockpile AVA.

After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1997, Clay returned to Sonoma County, where he worked at Kenwood Vineyards, and later honed his skills alongside winemakers at Jordan Vineyards and Winery, Taft Street Winery and Dry Creek Vineyard. In 1998, the Mauritson Family Winery was founded with the first vintage of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel.

Clay is committed to making wines that exemplify a sense of place, and his philosophy of winemaking is simple: “You need exceptional fruit to make exceptional wine.” His family heritage provides a distinct advantage — with more than 350 acres of family owned vineyards and strong relationships built over decades with other growers, Clay has access to some of the best grapes in Sonoma County.

Clay lives in Healdsburg with his wife Carrie, sons Brady and Davis, and daughter, Ella. He has been President of both the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley and the Rockpile Grape Growers Association and currently serves on the board of the Sonoma County Vintners. Clay also is a founding board member of the Down Syndrome Association North Bay (DSANB), a 501-(c)-3. The nonprofit raises awareness, promotes advocacy, furthers educational pursuits, and supports research to improve the lives of people with Down Syndrome and their families. Along with his wife, Carrie, and close friend, Chef Charlie Palmer, Clay launched “Project Zin” in 2012, and the now annual event has raised more than $650,000 for DSANB.

At U of O, Clay earned a degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing and a minor in Finance. He also played outside linebacker for the Ducks, including in the 1995 Rose Bowl and 1996 Cotton Bowl, exhibiting the intense drive, discipline and dedication to excellence that continues to help him succeed today: “What inspires me is the challenge of making wine that removes all outside influence, including ego, and creates the path of least resistance to allow a specific vineyard site to live up to its full, unique potential,” he says. “That, to me, is the true competitive spirit of making great wine and the essence of perfection!”

Carrie Mauritson

Carrie was born and raised in Durban, South Africa. In 2001, she decided to see the world and ended up in Atlanta, GA. She moved to Healdsburg in 2004 when she married Clay Mauritson, the Owner and Winemaker of Mauritson Family Winery. Since then, she has worked alongside Clay – learning from his families six generations of grape growing in Sonoma County and his passion for winemaking. She has been involved in all aspects of the winery; some glamourous and some not so glamourous: filling barrels, driving the forklift, hosting visitors and travelling the country to sell the wine.

Today, Carrie manages hospitality, oversees all the direct to consumer sales and everything else Clay doesn’t want do at the winery– that’s why she has the title “The Woman”.

She and Clay live in Healdsburg and have three children – Brady, Davis and Ella – the 7^th generation of the Mauritson family.