Napa Valley’s Cliff Lede winery gets new CFO

Janet Llamas has been promoted to chief financial officer of Lede Family Wines, which owns Cliff Lede Vineyards and Poetry Inn in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District and FEL Wines in Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley.

“Since joining our company in 2019, Janet has demonstrated a thorough understanding of the quality and diversity of our people and operations— stretching across three counties, two wineries and a boutique luxury hotel. She has developed business relations with our financial partners and vendors, and brings a positive, ‘reach-higher,’ attitude to our company,” said Tony Baldini, president and chief financial officer, in the announcement. “As we continue to operate with a forward-thinking lens, we know that Janet will be a critical component to the success of our company in 2022 and years beyond.”

Llamas began her professional career at Cliff Lede Vineyards, where she worked as an accountant, the company stated. After a 2.5-year stint there, she worked at public accounting firms Frank Rimmerman + Co. LLP and Moss Adams.

She later returned to the private sector in a senior financial role at Clos Du Val Winery, before returning to Lede Family Wines as director of finance in 2019. She was promoted to vice president of finance in early 2021.

“Finance touches every aspect of the company,” stated Llamas. “Beyond maintaining efficiency, it is crucial that we understand emerging financial technologies to stay competitive with the rest of the industry as we constantly reinvent ourselves for the better, especially as we approach our 20-year anniversary.”

Llamas holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Sonoma State University, a CPA credential and is pursuing an MBA through UC Davis.

Lede Family Wines was established in 2002 when Canadian-born Cliff Lede acquired 60 acres in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, creating Cliff Lede Vineyards. In 2005, Lede opened the adjacent Poetry Inn, the only accommodation in the Stags Leap District. After acquiring the famed Savoy Vineyard in Anderson Valley in 2011 and creating FEL Wines, the company evolved to become Lede Family Wines, integrating Lede’s luxury wine and hospitality businesses