Graduating in 2001 with an enology degree from California State University Fresno, Christy Ackerman was drawn to winemaking inspired by its hands-on nature and its mixture of chemistry and art. She began her winemaking career as a harvest intern at Murphy Goode for one season, and then moved on to Jordan Winery in 2001 as assistant winemaker. In 2006, Christy joined the winemaking team at Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery as associate winemaker, working on Ferrari-Carano’s Russian River Valley and Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Project. This experience led Christy to Lazy Creek Vineyards, where she has headed up the winemaking team since 2008, shortly after Don and Rhonda Carano, owners of Ferrari-Carano, purchased the property.

Christy loves all of the sensory attributes that winemaking affords, whether it is the look and smell of a vineyard in bloom, a cellar full of fragrant fermenting juice, the foaming, crackling sound of a fermentation, or the satisfaction of seeing someone enjoying a glass of wine that she had a part in crafting.

As LCV’s winemaker, it is Christy’s goal to allow the vineyards to express themselves in the wines. Lazy Creek’s great diversity of clones and unique vineyard site allows for complex, concentrated wines for a truly terroir driven experience.

Christy lives in Windsor and is married to Terry Ackerman. She likes animals, conversations with older people, cooking, campfires, acoustic guitar, spaghetti westerns and road trips, but is not so fond of crowds, schedules, reality television, and shopping.