Cristina Gonzales is the granddaughter of migrant farm workers from Texas, who moved to Wisconsin to pick cherries in search of a better life. Her passion for wine began while traveling as a backpacker through South America and landing in Mendoza, Argentina. When she returned to the United States, she entered the wine industry and eagerly absorbed information any way she could, working harvests in California, Oregon, Tasmania, and Australia. In 2009, she launched Gonzales Wine Company.
Specializing in aromatic whites and big reds, Gonzales wines are made in the heart of Portland, Oregon, with minimal intervention, no added yeasts, and small amounts of sulfur. Because the most important work is done in the vineyard, Cristina works closely with grape growers in Washington and Southern Oregon to grow fruit meeting her vision and specifications.