Christina Lopez

Christina Lopez, despite being a native of Sonoma County, did not realize that she was growing up in wine country and had no connection to the industry. Like many others graduating from high school, she had no idea what professional career she wished to pursue, but ultimately realized that she loved the science associated with the field of medicine.

This interest led Christina to study toward becoming an x-ray technologist. She completed the necessary prerequisites for this specialty, but the next step was applying to a program that was lottery-based, and she failed to get in on her first attempt.

Wanting to continue her formal education, Christina opted to take a wine class because it sounded like fun. Intrigued by what she learned, she took a job in a Healdsburg tasting room and then worked her first harvest in 2014. She landed an assistant winemaker role during her second year in the industry, coincidentally at the winery that originally hired her in the tasting room. For 4 years, Christina did two harvests a year between hemispheres, working in Sonoma County, Australia, and New Zealand. After these travels, she knew she wanted to make wine a career, so she returned to school, earning a B.S. degree in Viticulture and Enology from Washington State University in 2021. While there, she worked full-time at a winery in Walla Walla, where she fell in love with Rhône varieties.

Christina then moved back to California and accepted a position as assistant winemaker at Acquiesce Winery and Vineyards in the Lodi region. Before joining Acquiesce, she held a stereotypical view of the wines of the Lodi region thinking that the area was just a source of low-end bulk wine. But she found that the area was greatly underrated and that great wines could be made there. Moreover, she discovered that Acquiesce challenges the status quo in every aspect: producing all white wines in Zinfandel country, being woman-owned with a woman as founding winemaker, and crafting varieties she had never heard of before.

White Rhône varieties are the focus of the winery, where she is now both the winemaker and vineyard manager. Her wines have received positive attention. For example, Christina’s 2025 Sirens was named the “Best of the Best, Best White Wine” at the 2026 International Women’s Wine Competition.

In Christina’s view, “Winemaking is the perfect culmination of disciplines: science, history, art, philosophy, culture, etc., all come together in one 750-mL bottle, and we get to share that perspective year to year. No vintage is the same, it is never static, so you’re always adapting. For me, the mental agility required is what makes winegrowing so addicting. While a lot of winemaking is intuition—and I think this is what separates good winemakers from great winemakers—knowing basic science is just as important. The same thing that grabbed me on the path to being a radiology technician is what draws me to winemaking.”

When not busy at the winery, she enjoys being an “auntie,” playing golf, traveling, reading, and, as is the case with many winemakers, discovering new food and wine.