Kate Norris, Owner & Winemaker

Kate Norris is the co-owner & co-winemaker of Division Winemaking Company. After working and learning how to make wine in France’s Beaujolais, Burgundy and Loire regions, Kate moved west to Oregon. Determined to make approachable and balanced wines though minimal manipulation, Kate’s passion is to work with well farmed and terroir expressive vineyards celebrating the varietals she loves to drink and the vintage they were grown in.

After a lifetime of travel, Oregon, Portland, and their culture and climates have become a true home for Kate. Born in Bahrain to an English father and Malagasy (that’s Madagascar) mother, Kate’s exposure to food and wine is extensive. She has lived in England, Switzerland, France and the U.S. and traveled the world. She graduated magna cum laude with three majors from Colgate University and has since worked at management levels with event planning firms and wineries across the U.S.

Under the Division label, Kate, along with her business partner Tom Monroe, produce on average 25 unique bottlings per vintage from 10 different varieties of grapes grown in the Pacific Northwest – with a special focus on advancing the love of Gamay Noir and Chenin Blanc in the US. Kate also produces wines under her own label, Gamine.

Kate Norris can be contacted at [email protected].

Thomas Monroe, Owner & Winemaker

Tom Monroe is the co-owner & co-winemaker of Division Winemaking Company. His extensive career in food, music, corporate finance and small business has given him the solid foundation needed to run a thriving winery.

Tom grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and enjoyed his time in the Midwest watching Cardinals baseball games, helping his grandfather on their family farm and working for various restaurateurs and rock bands in the region and in Colorado where he went to college.

After completing a program in enology and viticulture and working in wineries in France’s famed Loire Valley, Beaujolais and Burgundy regions, Tom moved to Oregon to make wine with Kate in 2010. Tom strives to make nuanced wines that are driven by vineyard and vintage character, or terroir, while keeping things simple and minimal in the cellar. Outside of the winery, Tom adores spending time with his young son and wife and enjoys skiing, live music, hiking in the Pacific Northwest, and traveling, eating and drinking wines throughout the world.

Thomas Monroe can be contacted at [email protected].

Liz McClausland, Operations Manager

Liz McClausland is the Operations Manager for Division Winemaking Company. Her journey into wine was not planned or conventional in any way. After graduating high school in Cincinnati, Liz backpacked the United States, following Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead all the way to the Pacific Northwest. She enrolled at Evergreen State College, obtaining a Bachelors of Art.

A long time Portlander, she spent 14 years in the shoe industry as a buyer and business partner. Life being unpredictable, Liz switched gears and took a position in the tasting room at Anne Amie Vineyards. She fell in love with the wine community – plus the vineyard office views could not be beat. In 2015 she joined Kate, Tom and team at the SE Wine Collective and restaurant Oui! Wine Bar, assuming the roles of Wine Club Manager and Assistant Bar Manager.

The pandemic brought Liz into the fold at DWC, assuming the role of Operations Manager (aka the glue that holds the winery together). Liz holds her Level 2 certification through WSET and continues to seek ways to add to her wine education. A Hatha yoga teacher, lover of music, dogs, poetry, nature, human connections, fresh food and wine; she is thrilled to be part of the team at DWC. Nothing makes her feel more at home than being part of a small group of likeminded people committed to quality products, sustainable practices, and providing an amazing experience for customers. 

Liz McClausland can be contacted at [email protected].

Seth Gunning, Assistant Winemaker

Seth Gunning is the Cellar Master at Division Winemaking Company. He joined DWC in 2021 and manages all cellar operations at the winery. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Global Wine Studies from Central Washington University, Seth dove head first into the wine world. With a particular passion for Pacific Northwest wines with an old world influence, he moved to Walla Walla Washington to begin his wine career.

After landing an internship at Mark Ryan Winery, Seth has worked in nearly all facets of the industry, from tasting rooms to wine production. He was drawn to DWC after developing an interest in native fermentations, Cabernet Franc, and Gamay (plus he just really liked the wines). Originally from the Seattle area, Seth has two cats (Stevie and Frankie). In his freetime he plays chess, goes bowling, makes trips to the Oregon Coast, trys wines he knows nothing about, attempts to play guitar, and watches live music.