Karissa Kruse Named a Wine Enthusiast Wine Executive of the Year Nominee
We have some exciting news to share from Dutton-Goldfield.
Karissa Kruse, co-owner of Dutton-Goldfield Winery and CEO of Sonoma County Winegrowers, has been named a nominee for Wine Executive of the Year in Wine Enthusiast’s 2026 Wine Star Awards.
The annual Wine Star Awards recognize the people and organizations making an impact across the wine and beverage world. For those of us who know Karissa, it’s especially meaningful to see her work on behalf of Sonoma County and its winegrowing community recognized on this stage.
A Champion for Sonoma County
As CEO of Sonoma County Winegrowers, Karissa has spent years championing the farmers, vineyards and people behind Sonoma County wine.
Wine Enthusiast specifically recognized her role in helping establish Sonoma County as one of the world’s leading sustainable winegrowing regions, as well as her work sharing that story around the globe.
Her approach has also been about finding new ways to invite people into the world of wine. That includes leading the first-of-its-kind partnership between Sonoma County Winegrowers and the San Francisco Giants, bringing Sonoma County wine and agriculture to an entirely new audience.
But there was one other part of Wine Enthusiast’s nomination that was particularly close to home for us.
The Next Chapter at Dutton-Goldfield
Wine Enthusiast highlighted Karissa and her husband, Steve Dutton, a fifth-generation Sonoma County farmer, and their acquisition of Dutton-Goldfield Winery as the next chapter in her story.
For us, that chapter is just getting started.
Dutton-Goldfield has always been rooted in a deep connection between farming and winemaking. Steve’s family has been farming in western Sonoma County for generations, while Karissa has spent much of her career advocating for Sonoma County agriculture and helping ensure that farming here has a vibrant and sustainable future.
Together, they bring that perspective to Dutton-Goldfield as we continue doing what has defined the winery for nearly three decades: making expressive Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and other cool-climate wines that tell the stories of the vineyards and people behind them.
There are plenty more stories ahead.
For today, though, we’re simply raising a glass.
Congratulations, Karissa, from all of us at Dutton-Goldfield. We couldn’t be more proud.
