Matías Kúsulas

Winemaker | Viticulturist                   

 

A Chilean with Greek roots, Matías was a Marine officer and Naval Engineer in Chile for more than seven years when he realized that it was time to change the course of his career. In 2006, he started studying Agricultural Engineering at the University of Chile, where he graduated with distinction and a major in Viticulture and Enology. He worked in Chile for a few years and in 2011 decided to start traveling the world on a quest to learn new winemaking techniques. After several harvests in Oceania, Europe, and Africa, he settled down in France to do his post degrees at the Universities of Bordeaux and Montpellier. He also performed for two years as a Maître de Chai for one of the oldest and most reputable wineries in Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie.

​

After years of traveling and over 15 harvests, he came to the United States in 2016 and joined Gård Vintners/Lawrence Vineyards as a Production Winemaker and Viticulturist. He now serves as Head Winemaker for both Desert Wind and Gård Vintners.

​

Beyond overseeing viticulture for Lawrence Vineyards and Desert Wind, Kúsulas also serves as Viticulturist for the reputable Conner Lee Vineyard. He also makes wine for his own brand, Massalto, and for Valo Cellars, which share a tasting room in Vancouver, Washington. In his spare time, he likes to jump out of planes and is a Judo Black Belt.