A portion of this article appeared in the Carpe Wine column in the Vail Daily.
For about 20 years now, Christopher Tynan, Director of Winemaking at Cliff Lede Vineyards has been turning grapes into liquid poetry. This summer I had the pleasure of meeting him – on my back porch – to discuss his story, the challenges facing today’s vintners, and what it truly means to bottle a sense of place all while sipping a bottle of 2021 Poetry.
The Aha Moment
Tynan’s wine epiphany came during his restaurant days in Santa Fe, where he was responsible for wine purchasing. “I remember planning dinner for friends one night,” he recalls, “and while I can’t remember the girl I was trying to impress, I remember every wine we had that night.” The turning point came when a distributor brought a bottle of Château de Pape. “Great food, great wine—it just clicked with me.”
That click resonated deeply enough to pull him away from the restaurant industry. “I had a good education being in the restaurant business, but my heart wasn’t in it,” Tynan explains. “I loved the wine tastings and the education.” In 2002, he made a bold move to Napa Valley, knowing no one, and enrolled in wine classes at the local junior college.
His first harvest in 2005 unveiled the mystery he’d been drawn to. “Wine is such a mystery when you don’t know anything about it. I got to peek behind the curtains to see the magic,” he says. “It’s a jack-of-all-trades job—art, trade, food, agriculture.”
Adapting to a Changing Climate
Like all Napa Valley producers, Cliff Lede Vineyards’ has had to evolve its practices in response to climate change. “Record highs are impacting us, but we’re close to the ocean, so not too much,” Tynan notes. The winery’s proximity to cooling marine influences provides some buffer, but adaptation strategies have become essential.
“Heat spells can be brutal if you’re not prepared,” Tynan explains. The winery has invested in shade cloth systems that have proven remarkably effective. “We’ve done studies comparing covered and uncovered vines on hot days—there’s a 20-30-degree temperature difference. It has really helped us in the hot years, even if it’s just for two days.” The shade cloths protect the fruit while allowing the grapes to hang longer on the vine.
These climate adaptations have also influenced winemaking decisions. To manage alcohol levels in an era of rising temperatures, the team focuses on “picking earlier” and has “changed the farming” practices. The shade cloths serve a dual purpose: protecting the fruit while allowing grapes to hang longer on the vine when conditions permit.
The Rock Blocks: Where Music Meets Terroir
One of Cliff Lede Vineyards’ most distinctive features is its “Rock Blocks”—vineyard parcels named after classic rock songs and albums. This isn’t just whimsical branding; it reflects the precision required in modern viticulture. “The plantings are so specific and precise to each soil type and exposure,” that rather than constantly referring to clipboards, each block received musical monikers. From “Hey Jude” to “Dark Side of the Moon,” these names help track the nuanced differences across the estate. The names in the wine portfolio continue the musical theme – Poetry, Rhythm and Songbook.
Beyond the Cellar Door
When asked about the most surprising aspect of running a winery, Tynan offers an unexpected perspective on interconnectedness. “No one has asked me that before,” he pauses. “This isn’t a profession you can do on your own, like a doctor in private practice. We’re so connected to the rest of the world—corks, labor from Mexico, UPS drivers, glass. It’s a luxury item, but it’s not isolated.”
This global connection extends to unusual skills the job requires. “Sniffing corks to make sure we get good corks,” Tynan laughs. “Being in a room at a manufacturing plant trying to figure out the best lot—it’s a weird thing.”
Tasting Experiences
If you find yourself in Napa Valley, Tynan suggests you visit the French Laundry, “it’s one of the greatest restaurants in the world”. And of course, a visit to Cliff Lede Vineyards, which offers diverse tasting experiences. The Morning Walk in the Vineyard is one of their more unique experience that provides an immersive journey through the estate and featured wines, while the Backstage Tasting Lounge that combines wine with rotating art exhibits and music memorabilia.
Looking Forward
When conversation turns to regions beyond Napa, Tynan’s recommendations reveal his continued passion for discovery: the Rocks District in Walla Walla, Oregon Pinot Noir, and Santa Cruz Mountains for both Chardonnay and Bordeaux varieties. His travels through France, Italy, and Spain—including walking the Camino—continue to inform his approach to winemaking.
“We’re farmers and have to deal with all kinds of stuff,” Tynan reflects, embodying the practical philosophy that guides his work. From restaurant floors to vineyard rows, his journey illustrates how passion, combined with adaptability and respect for the land, can create something truly special in the glass.
If he weren’t making wine? “If I could just pick one career and be successful—painter,” he says, referencing his art history background. “I have a three-year-old though, so no time.” For now, he’s content creating his art in liquid form, where every vintage tells a story of place, passion, and the music that moves through it all.
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.