Erin Rasmussen

Founder, Winemaker

Erin grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and relocated to Napa, California in 2008 to learn to make wine. After 10 years working in the California wine industry, and receiving a Post-graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Enology from Lincoln University in New Zealand, she returned to the Driftless region to work exclusively with cold-hardy grape varieties. Erin is single-handedly changing the midwest winemaking scene, and is helping the global wine industry understand what is possible with these American grape varieties.

Matt Poole

Operations Director, Kitchen Director

Matt began his culinary career at Marie Catrib’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved west to Alameda, California in 2014. His career spans gigs at a chicken and waffles joint in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, a regional Italian trattoria in Oakland, and Chez Panisse in Berkeley. He returned to the Midwest in 2019 as managing chef for the historic Hotel Washington on Washington Island in Door County. He joined American Wine Project in 2024 (and is married to Erin).

matt@americanwineproject.com

Johanna Poole

Events Coordinator, Tasting Room Lead

Johanna joined AWP in 2025 after working extensively in design and production in Los Angeles. She is a talented sign artist and creative omnivore.

johanna@americanwineproject.com

Piper

Chief Treat Eater and Squirrel Chaser

When she’s not running laps around a vineyard, Piper enjoys Kongs filled with peanut butter and laying in the sun.