For his undergrad education, Chris went to Sonoma State and studied abroad in Chile through the wine program. Upon completion of the program, he decided that he hadn’t had enough and went to Santa Rosa Junior College for Viticulture and Oenology certificates. These programs were transformative in his passion for wine. Chris worked at Stryker-Sonoma in Alexander Valley during this time and participated in harvests in the fall—an opportunity which afforded him a chance to apply his learning to real life winemaking. After several harvest there, he moved on to Napa to develop his knowledge, skills, and abilities, and returned to Sonoma County in 2016 for a winemaking internship with J. Rochioli Winery, a current vineyard partner of Williams Selyem. Under the guidance of Tom Rochioli, Chris was able to truly develop a passion for and understanding of fine wine production and was able to apply his skills in a setting where the focus was on working with the best grapes possible, each growing season. After a three-vintage stint at MacRostie, where he worked closely with Steve MacRostie and continued to hone his skills in fine wine production, his passion for wine production grew and he eventually found a home, at Williams Selyem.
Chris feels fortunate to have joined a team of passionate, like-minded wine producers. With Jeff at the helm, he truly feels he works in the best cellar producing the best wines, from the best grapes, from exceptional growers and he looks forward to many future vintages at Williams Selyem.
Chris is an avid outdoorsman and participates in all aspects of Sonoma County living. He enjoys hiking, fishing, and exploring rivers and coastal regions in the area with his wife and two dogs.
