Sonoma County Winegrowers CEO recognized for innovative wine marketing, agricultural leadership and bringing the wine community together
November 12, 2026 (Santa Rosa, CA) — From transforming how Sonoma County wine connects with consumers to championing agricultural innovation and bringing growers and wineries together, Karissa Kruse has spent more than a decade challenging conventional thinking about what a regional wine organization can accomplish.
Wine Enthusiast has named Kruse, CEO of Sonoma County Winegrowers, its 2026 Wine Executive of the Year as part of the publication’s prestigious Wine Star Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to the global wine and beverage industry.
In the news release from the Wine Enthusiast announcing Kruse as the Wine Executive of the Year, it stated, “Our Wine Executive is the industry outsider we need. While Sonoma County faces the same headwinds of many other global wine regions, leaders like Kruse are seeking new and exciting possibilities for growth in the years to come.”
Since becoming CEO in 2013, Kruse has helped position Sonoma County as a leader in sustainable winegrowing, agricultural innovation and creative wine marketing. Under her leadership, the region achieved 99% certified sustainable vineyard acreage, launched the groundbreaking Farm of the Future initiative and established unconventional partnerships that have introduced Sonoma County wines to new audiences across the country.
“I am incredibly honored by this recognition, but what makes it so meaningful is the opportunity to represent the farmers, winemakers and people who make Sonoma County such a special place,” said Kruse. “I’m especially grateful for our incredible team and our Board of Directors, who have embraced new ideas, taken chances and believed in what we could accomplish together. I’m proud of what we’ve built, and even more excited about what’s ahead for Sonoma County wine.”
Drawing on her background in consumer marketing, Kruse has helped take Sonoma County wine beyond traditional industry channels through partnerships with organizations including the San Francisco Giants, Coachella Valley Firebirds, Landry’s and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. She also launched Farm of the Future, positioning Sonoma County as a living laboratory for agricultural innovation through collaborations with companies including John Deere, Ford Pro and Wilbur-Ellis.
As executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation, Kruse has also championed programs supporting vineyard employees and their families, including the nation’s first Vineyard Employee Leadership Academy.
“Karissa has never been satisfied with doing things simply because that’s how they’ve always been done,” said Tyler Klick, Chairman of the Sonoma County Winegrowers Board of Directors and a partner at Redwood Empire Vineyard Management. “She has an extraordinary ability to see opportunities, bring people together and turn ambitious ideas into action. From pioneering sustainability and agricultural innovation to building partnerships that have opened new doors for Sonoma County wine, her leadership has helped redefine what’s possible for our region. This recognition is incredibly well deserved.”
The recognition comes at a pivotal moment for Sonoma County wine. In 2026, Kruse helped lead the unification of the region’s grower and winery communities under one organization. The new Sonoma County Wine membership program, launching in January 2027, will strengthen collaboration, create new opportunities and bring a unified voice to promoting Sonoma County wines.
According to the Wine Enthusiast news release, “In today’s competitive wine market, thinking outside the box is crucial, and this recent merger isn’t Kruse’s first ‘unachievable’ achievement.”
Before joining Sonoma County Winegrowers, Kruse held marketing and business roles with General Mills, Universal Studios and Dairy Management Inc. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA in marketing from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She and her husband, Steve Dutton, a fifth-generation Sonoma County farmer, own Dutton-Goldfield winery.
Kruse will be honored at Wine Enthusiast’s 27th annual Wine Star Awards gala in San Francisco on January 25, 2027.
About Sonoma County Winegrowers
Sonoma County Winegrowers represents more than 1,800 winegrape growers and works with winery partners to advance Sonoma County wine through marketing, education, sustainability and innovation. The organization is committed to strengthening the region’s agricultural community and connecting consumers with the people and places behind Sonoma County wines.
For more information, visit www.sonomawinegrape.org.
