GET TO KNOW A BIT MORE ABOUT OUR TEAM
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 where his ancestors homesteaded more than a century ago. Kyle is the son of Stemilt’s late founder, Tom Mathison, and the father of a 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 have 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 an acting winemaker and many of you have seen him around out tasting rooms and club events over the past few 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.
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 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 firstborn Jaime, and especially her new son Gael (born in June 2017.)