Meet the Staff at the Wetzel Estate Winery
At Wetzel Estate you will find winemakers and tasting room managers who are knowledgeable and committed to their craft.
Andreas Wetzel
Owner and Winemaker
Since the inception of the winery, Andreas has been producing award-winning wines. He emphasizes pairing wine with food in a way that enhances the experience of both. His philosophy has always been to provide premium, limited-production wines at a great value.
Mark Skoglund
Assistant Winemaker
Mark began his winemaking career in California in the laboratory performing wine analytics. From there he moved to upstate New York where he developed his practical winemaking skills. In his current role, Mark is responsible for every step of the winemaking process, from grape to bottle.
Nate Wilson
Cellar Master
Nate oversees all cellar operations. His attention to detail contributes to the consistent premium quality of our wines.
Krista Harker
Tasting room and events coordinator
Krista manages the day to day operations of the Tasting Room and manages the Wine Club. She has a passion for people and when you add wine, it’s a win! She has been in the wine industry for over 5 years. When she isn’t in the Tasting Room serving wine and visiting with guests, she can be found working behind the scenes on staff training, social media, marketing, and event planning.
Katie Melton
Marketing Manager
Katie strives to advance the consumer experience by finding opportunities to share our wines. The availability of these award-winning, quality wines offered under the Wetzel Estate Wines umbrella continues to grow across the United States and internationally.
Kim Rickard
Office Manager
Kim can be seen in the tasting room but spends most of her time behind the scenes managing the day-to-day administrative responsibilities that keep the winery running efficiently.
Juan Hernandez
Vineyard Foreman
Juan oversees all vineyard operations, from pruning the vines to harvesting the ripe, delicious fruit.
Kennedy Hill
Tasting room associate
Kennedy, a recent Western Oregon University graduate, is excited to share her growing wine knowledge of the Wetzel Estate product line with our customers. Wine-food pairings are a favorite of hers. Stop by and she will provide you with fabulous menu suggestions while you experience the wines firsthand.
Alma Carrillo Garcia
Tasting room lead
Alma has been in the Wetzel Estate Tasting Room for a year, sharing her knowledge of the wine while enjoying the camaraderie of customers and staff. She always has a bright, welcoming smile and is bilingual-Se Habla Espanol. She is a doting and loving mother of two young sons, as well as a great cook. She looks forward to sharing her excitement about the Wetzel Estate line of wines and their food pairings with whomever visits!
Paul Pennekamp
Tasting room associate
Paul grew up on the Lost Coast of California, immersed in the scents and flavors of redwood, oak and grape amidst the Pacific fog just north of the Napa-Sonoma wine country. My passion for flavor led me to take enology and viticulture while in college at UC Santa Cruz, and then on to bartending in San Francisco where I was steeped in food and drink for almost a decade. I left the city to make my way north, always maintaining a close relationship with sapor. I have now been working in bars and restaurants for going on twenty years and still never tire in the pursuit of sapidity, which brought me to Wetzel Estate Winery.
Richard Dal Porto
Cellar hand
A fourth-generation descendant of a Napa grape-growing family, Richard ultimately returned to his roots, obtaining a viticulture degree from Oregon State University in 2015. Since that time he has honed his winemaking skills while employed at various wineries. He is excited to continue the journey at Wetzel Estate Winery, where his contributions and comfort extend from the vineyard to the cellar.