Christie Dufault is a professor of Wine and Beverage Studies at CIA’s New York campus. A nationally recognized wine educator, sommelier, and hospitality expert, she brings decades of industry experience to the classroom, where she teaches Wine Studies and Gastronomy, courses taken by all students pursuing associate degrees at CIA. Christie also teaches advanced-level beverage courses to bachelor’s degree students and teaches in the CIA School of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Before joining CIA’s faculty in 2003, Dufault was the wine director at several of the nation’s most acclaimed restaurants. At Gary Danko in San Francisco, working under Chef Danko, a 1977 CIA graduate, she helped the restaurant earn Wine Spectator’s prestigious Grand Award. As head sommelier at CIA graduate Michael Tusk’s Michelin three-star, Quince, in San Francisco, she was honored as Best Wine Director by San Francisco magazine. She also played a key role in opening RN74 in San Francisco, a restaurant by CIA ’89 alumnus Michael Mina, and served as its sommelier.
Her contributions to the wine industry have earned her numerous accolades, including Wine Mentor of the Year (2021) and one of America’s Best Young Sommeliers (2003) from Wine & Spirits magazine. In 2019, Dufault was “knighted” into the Cavalieri del Vino e Tartufi d’Alba, honoring her excellence in Italian wine and gastronomy.
Dufault, a regular contributor to The SOMM Journal, co-authored the cookbook Two in the Kitchen with husband Jordan Mackay.
An Advanced Certified Wine Professional (ACWP) and Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), Dufault holds an advanced certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers and is a candidate for the Master Sommelier Certificate. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Simmons College in Boston, MA, and her master’s degree from Sonoma State University in California.
Dufault is a frequent traveler. In addition to all 50 American states, she has been to more than 30 international destinations. In her free time, she enjoys being outside and frequently hikes, forages, and casts for trout.
Q&A with Professor Dufault
What courses do you teach at CIA?
I enjoy teaching in all three degree programs: associate, bachelor’s, and master’s. I largely instruct about wine and spirits, but I also teach gastronomy and hospitality courses.
What makes CIA stand out from other colleges?
Our school is simply the best: we have the highest standards, the finest faculty, the top facilities and environments. If admitted to CIA, students will be educated, encouraged, nurtured, and, above all, taught to think critically and proactively.