Viticulturist Kristin Lowe has been a vital part of Gantz Family Vineyards' success. Kris was one of Clay's teachers in his certification program and one of the first people he turned to after purchasing the property in 2009. As the owner of Vine Balance Consulting, Kris watches over Gantz Family Vineyards' vines to ensure that they are protected from pest and disease and that they receive adequate nutrition, water and appropriate canopy management. She specializes in ampelography, which is the study of the classification of grape varieties, and has an extensive knowledge of rootstock/scion characteristics, grape genetics, and grapevine physiology and phenology. Originally from Syracuse, New York, Kristin received a B.S. in plant sciences with a specialization in plant breeding from Cornell University in 2000 before coming to California for graduate work. Kristin completed her Ph.D. in genetics from UC Davis in 2006.