A winemaker, sommelier, wine educator and wine explorer, Christina grew up in San Diego, CA where wine was not a part of daily life. Her first trip to France at 18 afforded her a glimpse into the beautiful world of food & wine when she tried oysters and Muscadet for the first time in the seaside village of Nantes in the Loire Valley. A long-standing love affair began with wine, food and travel.
Exploring the Santa Barbara wine region in the early 2000’s, she engaged with pioneering winemakers who ultimately became her mentors. Greg Brewer, Steve Clifton, Doug Margerum, Chad Melville, Dick Dore of Foxen, Kris Curran of SeaSmoke, Kathy Joseph of Fiddlehead, and Pete Stolpman were all very generous in sharing their craft with her. In 2005, she created her first vintage of Pinot Noir, ‘Lysander’ from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, CA. Although the vintage yielded just one barrel, it was a beautiful first attempt and she was hooked.
From that moment on, she gained additional winemaking experience in Sonoma with Siduri; Napa Valley with Patz & Hall, Hess Collection and Pahlmeyer; New Zealand with Craggy Range and France with François Villard in the Rhône Valley. During this time, she continued to produce small amounts of wine under the Abaluche label. The 2008 ‘L’Orphelin’ Syrah from the Fort Ross-Seaview region of the Sonoma Coast was a beautiful expression of long-macerated, native ferment, extended lees aging Syrah from the region.
After her time in France, she settled in San Francisco, working as a wine director for several high-profile restaurants and wine sales professional with top wine importers, selling some of the world’s best wines to San Francisco’s top restaurants and wine shops.
In February 2020, she moved to the island of Maui in Hawaii and brought her unique brand of wine hospitality to the island. She was on track to open her wine shop in Lahaina, a long-time dream since she started in the business in 2002, until the tragic Lahaina Fire in August 2023 destroyed the shop just a month from opening. In February 2026, she joined the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection as a Sommelier, and currently travels the world while delighting guests with her creative wine pairings, suggestions and elevated hospitality while sabering Champagne whenever possible. Presently, Christina is based in San Diego, CA and is Certified Advanced with WSET, Certified Sommelier with WSG, and a Certified Sabreur. She enjoys being out in the sunshine and on the water, ideally with a glass of bubbly in hand.
