MAURITSON Wines

The Mauritson family has been growing grapes in the Dry Creek Valley since 1868. The vines were first planted in 1884, and by the early 1960s, the Rockpile homestead and ranch had grown to 4,000 acres. Soon after, the family farm operation moved first to Alexander Valley and then later expanded into the benchland of Dry Creek Valley. The Mauristons currently manage 310 vineyard acres spread across Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, and Rockpile Appellations. In addition to their vineyards in Lake County, the Mauritson family also owns vineyards in Sonoma County, further enriching their viticultural heritage and presence in the region.

In the mid 1990s, Clay Mauritson was determined to add winemaking to the family operation. Utilizing his winemaking skills and knowledge of winery operations at Kenwood, Taft Street, and Dry Creek Vineyards, he released the inaugural Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel in 1998. Clay’s wife, Carrie joined him shortly after and took charge of marketing and operations support.

After the inaugural release, the family looked at the potential for superior grape growing in the Rockpile region. They decided to plant 34 acres of vineyards in eight distinct blocks. The combination of low air moisture, poor soils, and moderate temperatures began to leave a unique impact.

Six generations and more than 150 years later, the family still holds a reputation for outstanding winemaking, along with sought after harvests.