meet our team

Matthew Rawn
Winemaker and Director of Sales

Matthew Rawn has been winemaker for Two Mountain Winery since its inception. He helped plant the estate vineyard with his uncle Ron Schmidt in 2000 and has produced Two Mountain’s wines since the first vintage in 2002. While the vineyard was developing, Matt honed his winemaking skills by working alongside neighboring Yakima Valley wine producers and learning their craft.

A passionate advocate for the Washington wine industry, Matt manages sales and marketing for the winery and enjoys talking with wine retailers and restaurateurs about the state’s world-class wines. Matt graduated in agricultural business from Montana State University in Bozeman and has completed courses at the enology and viticulture, at Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla, Washington.

Matt loves nothing more than cooking a good meal for friends, new and old, and opening a bottle of wine (or, more frequently, several). He has an adoring black Lab, Cash, who has many talents, most notably, finding items that he is sure were incorrectly discarded. There’s a reason he’s Cash Man the Trash Man.

Email: Matt@twomountainwinery.com

Patrick Rawn
Vineyard Operations

Just like his brother, Patrick began learning the ins and outs of farming as a kid, helping Grandpa Phil and Uncle Ron during the summer harvest season. After graduating from the University of Washington in polisci and econ, he had grand plans of going to law school, but the chance to go into business with Matt and take the family farm in a new direction proved to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that neither one of them could resist.

The only thing Patrick loves more than watching grapes grow is UW football (and maybe his new daughter and small bear cub/large dog, Fievel). It is unfortunate that harvest always intersects Husky football season, but Patrick tries to support his Dawgs when time allows. Otherwise, you can almost guaranteed find him in his pickup, traveling from vineyard to vineyard, listening to every [insert business/history/tech/UW football] podcast ever produced or back at the office planted in front of an Excel spreadsheet writing some sweet macros. If you invite him to a pool party, there’s a 100% chance he will steal your best float and start discussing crytpocurrency or rural infrastructure. #nerdalert

Email: Patrick@twomountainwinery.com

Braden Mortensen
ASsistant general manager of winery operations

⁠Braden showed up at TMW as a teenager looking for work. We told him he could take care of the yard. Pretty soon thereafter, he got roped into labeling. Next thing you know he's doing punchdowns and other cellarwork. Now he's learning more about the management and operations of this crazy place. Honestly, we can't quite remember a time when Braden wasn't here. Even when he was attending Central Washington University for his degree in Global Wine Studies (graduated magna cum laude, obviously), he never left us. He's pretty much an honorary Brother Rawn at this point.

You can find Braden doing a little bit of everything around the winery, even playing with the winery cat (though he won’t admit it). When he’s not channeling his inner Brother Rawn and spending all his waking hours at the winery, you can find him puttering around the house and spending time with his super cool wife and doggos, Tango and Winnifred. Because that’s what 31 year old men with 98 year old souls do. That, and play the drums.

Gilberto "SodaPop" Cruz
cellarmaster

Gilberto, also known as “Sodapop,” is a longtime member of the Two Mountain family. He started working in the vineyard in 2014, moved to the cellar a few years later, and is now our cellarmaster. Cleaning tanks, bottling, and blending wine are just a few of his many responsibilities, although his proudest work is being the best dad to his son.

As you could probably guess from his nickname, Gilberto loves The Outsiders (or maybe he just has a secret crush on Rob Lowe- but who could blame him), white wine varietals like our Sauvy B, camping, and playing soccer with his son. He once ate an entire pizza, which he considers a world record — as his favorite saying goes, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.”

Eliceo gil
Foreman

Eliceo has been managing the Two Mountain vineyard crew since 2009- so long now that we can’t imagine what it was like without him. Eliceo is a level three graduate of the Latino Viticultural Education program at Yakima Valley College.

In addition to running our crew, Eliceo also serves as pastor at the Monte de Sion church in Sunnyside and is father to three very busy and awesome children. The pride he takes in his work, his family, his crew and his community is evident in everything he does. Eliceo is the first to lend a hand, a jacket, or even a bedroom to someone in need. He is one of the kindest and most genuine people we know, and we count him in our blessings daily!

Nothing happens without our amazing vineyard crew. We employ a full-time crew of about 18 whose average tenure is about 10 years- and that experience shows! Our seasonal crew is equally as talented, and we wouldn’t be where we are with out everyone’s hard work and dedication.

Juan “Juanito” Alaniz
Head irrigator

Juanito started during the 2015 harvest, and it was immediately evident in his work ethic and talent that he was going to fill some larger boots one day. He is currently learning the management side of the vineyard. Juanito is a level two graduate of the Latino Viticultural Education program at Yakima Valley College. Fun fact: he and Eliceo are besties from way back!

Efren Licea
Lead Equipment Operator

Efren has been working with our family since 1978 when he started picking cherries with our grandfather and uncle. After almost 20 years with our family, Efren had the opportunity to manage 500 acres of orchard for one of the largest tree fruit operations in Washington. In 2002, he returned to Two Mountain where he now oversees all equipment operation and maintenance in the vineyard. He is slowly making his way toward retirement, but as is frequently the case with long-time farmers, he just can’t imagine a life without it. Which, from a selfish-standpoint, is working out well for us!

In addition to managing our equipment operations, he has his own 16 acre Bartlett pear orchard in Yakima. Efren has served as the president of the Yakima School District Migrant Parent Teacher Association for eight years, advocating both locally and nationally for the educational needs of migrant students. Looking for the best tamales in the hemisphere? Look no further than Efren’s wife, Enedina.

Ella Vincent
viticulturist

As our vineyard acreage has grown, so have the responsibilities. We started looking for a Viticulture Technician (“vit tech” if you want to sound like you’re in the know) early in 2021 and by some grape god miracle, the stars aligned for us. Ella joined us that May and hit the ground running! She has since taken like a Syrah vine and flourished, leading us to move her into a greater position with more responsibilities.

Coming from a farm family herself, Ella knows all about what it takes to hack it in the field (read: early mornings, lots of SPF, comfortable boots). She graduated from Washington State University (“GO COUGS!”) with a degree in Viticulture and Enology, making her exceptionally qualified for the job. In 2020, she worked a vintage in New Zealand which gave her extra industry perspective and some light bragging rights. She spends most of her time in our vineyards, scouting for pests or signs of disease, collecting data and samples, and being a right-hand for Patrick.

Ella loves spending her time off the farm on the water- wake surfing and waterskiing. And like all farm kids, her favorite things are her friends and family and her black Lab mix, Lucy.

Jeff Davis
Tasting Room Manager

When you visit our tasting room, there’s a good chance you’ll be greeted by Jeff. He may technically be new(ish) to working in the industry, but you’d never know it- probably because he’s been a big fan of whiskey and wine for much of his life. Jeff spends each day connecting with our guests, helping them figure out their wants, needs, likes and dislikes in wine, in order to take them on a personalized tasting journey that fills their bucket. If you meet a harder working, more affable, better-dressed guy than Jeff…well, you won’t, we’re pretty sure of it. Seriously, his shirt game…it’s unmatched. And his tattoos. We’re not joking when we say he’s upping our cool factor by a factor of 100.

Jeff has over 30 years of experience in retail management and perhaps more importantly, 26 years of experience as a #girldad to three daughters (including a set of identical twins) and two grandchildren. In his spare time, he likes to cook for his family, take road trips with his wife (they were high school sweethearts!), enjoy a glass of whiskey, and collect vintage coins.

He lives by the saying, “Don't count the days, make the days count.” Unsurprisingly, given this motto, Jeff is a huge advocate of supporting our community and considers work he’s done for Northwest Harvest, Children’s Miracle Network, and countless homeless shelters (just to name a few) to be some of his proudest contributions.