Cliff Lede

In the heart of the Stags Leap District’s highest hills and lowest valley floors lies Cliff Lede Vineyards, founded in 2002 by Canadian construction mogul Cliff Lede. Known for its ‘Platinum Wine,’ a golden trio of cabernet sauvignon wines from top Napa vineyards, the estate has captured the hearts of critics like Robert Parker and become a fan-favorite of wine enthusiasts across the country. Now heading into a new direction dominated by elegant and age-worthy wines from the next generation of talented winemakers, Cliff Lede Vineyards continues to push for Napa greatness.

Cliff Lede: How the Winery Came to Be

While working for his family’s prominent construction business in Canada, Cliff Lede traveled numerous times to Napa Valley, falling in love with the region’s cult wines and developing an interest in winemaking. After a steadfast construction career, Lede began to search for land to buy in the region, eventually stumbling upon a 24-hectare plot of land owned by S. Anderson Vineyards. Following multiple negotiations, he purchased the land and started Cliff Lede Vineyards, enlisting the help of legendary winemakers like Michel Rolland and David Abreu to replant the vineyard.

Three years after acquiring the vineyard, the winery was complete, designed by world-class architect Howard Backen. Since then, the estate has purchased nearly 50 more hectares of land across Stags Leap District, Calistoga, Yountville, and Carneros.

Cliff Lede Vineyards: The Terroir Behind the Cabernet

Cliff Lede Vineyards is spread across multiple plots of land across Napa Valley, from the valley floor of Stags Leap District to flat land in Calistoga. The estate’s most notable vineyard I the Poetry Vineyard, a steep, southwest-facing hillside vineyard that extends from the valley floor to the highest elevation in Stags Leap (400 feet). When first purchased, David Abreau replanted all of the vineyard except for a small 1.5-acre block of cabernet sauvignon, first planted in 1995. The block remains untouched, acting as the backbone to the highly coveted Poetry label, derived from the same vineyard.

Because the plantings were so specific to the soil type and exposure, Cliff Lede began naming each block after his favorite rock records, with these plots now known as ‘Rock Blocks.’ Names like “High Fidelity” and “Dark Side of the Moon” can be seen throughout the territory, dividing the diverse soils. In the Poetry Vineyard, shallow volcanic soils make up the majority of the land, forcing the vines to struggle and create concentrated, complex fruit. Because Abreau opted to plant with high vine density using a proprietary clone selection, low yields are produced, ensuring the highest-quality fruit is produced.

Across the road from Kapcsandy lies another of Cliff Lede’s vineyards- Rhythm Vineyard. Situated between two large hills at the northernmost edge of Stags Leap District, the vineyard’s gravelly loam soils are planted with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit Verdot, malbec, sauvignon blanc, and semillon. Containing similar soils is the Calistoga Vineyard, 20 acres of cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc at the base of Diamond Mountain. Gravelly loam soils are volcanic here, due to the location on the mountain’s steep hills. The appellation’s hot afternoon sun is blocked by the mountain range and cooled by moderate breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean.

Cliff Lede Wine: How One of Napa’s Defining Bottles is Made

Priding itself on innovative and organic winemaking, Cliff Lede employs unique techniques to make its world-famous cabernet. Led by Christopher Tynan, former assistant to Helen Turley and Ann Colgin, the process begins with a hand harvest and three-tier sorting line, which includes an initial hand sort, followed by a machine-operated sort in which the Pellenc machine divides the grapes by preset parameters. The grapes then undergo one more hand-sorting process to fully ensure only the highest-quality fruit is used in the final blend. Next, a custom crane system delivers the fruit to truncated tanks inspired by Chateau Latour, where they are fermented to allow for more skin submersion, in turn, leading to better flavors and color extraction.  In the final step of the process, the wine is aged new French oak for approximately 20 months.

Cliff Lede’s winemaking team is dedicated to organic processes, receiving a Napa Green certification in 2015 for its efforts. The team uses organic methods like recycling, cover cropping, planting native insectaries, and using compost and organic fertilizer. Furthermore, they work to keep the natural habitat healthy and use integrated pest management, which involves placing natural predators on the land to divert any potential harm to the vines.

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon

Cliff Lede Vineyards is most known for its cabernet sauvignon, specifically three labels, which the estate refers to as its ‘Platinum Wines.’ They are as follows:

• Cliff Lede Poetry: the flagship wine created from the vineyard of the same name in Stags Leap District
• Cliff Lede Songbook: sourced from two of David Abreu’s personally-farmed vineyards
• Cliff Lede Beckstoffer To-Kalon: sourced from the famed eponymous vineyard, considered to be Napa Valley’s “First Growth” vineyard

Each release consistently scores high ratings from top critics, with multiple vintages like the 2013 Poetry even receiving a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker. The critic has called the label “bottled perfection” for its full-bodied, concentrated mouthfeel and long, flavorful finish. Produced in low yields, these bottles can be difficult to acquire, forcing drinkers to intensely seek out the wine.

Add a Cliff Lede Wine Bottle to Your Cellar

Celebrate one of Napa Valley’s hidden gems by adding a bottle of splendid cabernet sauvignon to your collection. Perfect for Napa and Bordeaux lovers, and everyone in between, these bottles won’t disappoint. Browse our collection and select your new favorite wine.