About Tendril Wine Cellars
Tendril is a family-owned winery in Carlton, Oregon and is a personal wine project by renowned winemaker, Tony Rynders. We focus on small-lot production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley made with minimal intervention. We chose the name, Tendril, because it is an integral part of the grape vine itself. This humble yet visually appealing curly “appendage” is how the young shoots attach to the trellis and pull themselves up.
Our wines are typically a blend of vineyards, clones and soil types from across the Willamette Valley. The composition of each blend will vary from year to year, allowing us to create consistent styles while also embracing the variations that come with each vintage in the valley. Tony considers vineyards much like a painter uses colors on their palette, where he draws upon certain traits of each site to create a unique blend in one of our proprietary styles.
Our vision is “slow wine.” Everything we do is towards the best possible wines and it simply takes more time: continual interaction with vineyard, adaptive winemaking, separate small-lot fermentations, and longer aging. We believe that the “essence” of truly great wine begins and ends in the vineyard.
Tony, Co-owner and Winemaker
Tony Rynders is one of the most acclaimed winemakers in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to Tendril Wine Cellars and his custom crush winemaking service, Tour de Force Wine Company, he owns Tony Rynders Consulting which provides counsel in winery design, vineyard design and development, wine quality improvement, brand development, and product development.
Rynders began working in the wine business in 1989 at Mirassou Vineyards in San Jose, CA. In 1992, he obtained a Master’s degree in Enology and Viticulture from University of California at Davis; then gained winemaking experience with harvests in Napa, Friuli, Tuscany, and South Australia. His winemaking positions include two years at Argyle as assistant winemaker, three years at Hogue Cellars as red winemaker and 10 years at Domaine Serene/Rockblock Cellars as head winemaker.
During his tenure at Domaine Serene, Rynders obtained more 90+ point scores from the Wine Spectator magazine than any other winemaker during this period of time. The Wine Advocate recognized Domaine Serene as one of only two “Outstanding” producers from Oregon. In addition, Domaine Serene was awarded “Winery of the Year” status five consecutive years from Wine and Spirits magazine. Over 10 years, Rynders developed more than 25 different products for Domaine Serene.
In June 2008, Rynders launched his own successful wine consulting business, Tony Rynders Consulting. Tendril launched in 2010 with just one bottling from the 2008 vintage, which has evolved into the “Extrovert” offering. Over time products have been added to highlight all the Willamette Valley has to offer and showcase Rynders’ creativity and wine-making talents.
Diane Simpson, Co-owner
Diane oversees client service, operations, marketing, sales and more. Prior to joining Tendril full time in summer 2016, Diane worked for 16 years at Pacific University, most recently as Chemical Resources and Hazardous Materials Manager.
She and Tony met while studying at University of California at Davis, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. The couple has two daughters whose artwork is proudly displayed on their labels for Child’s Play, a playful younger sister brand to Tendril Wine Cellars. In addition to taking care of the winery, she takes care of the girls and Badger, the smartest dumb dog ever.
Ben Friesen, Winemaker
Ben joined Tendril Wine Cellars in July 2014 after eight years in the industry in winemaking roles. Prior to Tendril, Ben was Assistant Winemaker at Helioterra Wine Cellars and Apolloni Vineyards. He also served as Cellar Master for Andrew Rich for three years, where he gained experience in both Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Rhône varieties from eastern Washington, and Cellar Assistant for Dobbes Family Estates.
Ben is a graduate of Portland State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Social Science and a minor in Biology with an ecology concentration.
Pao Morgenstern, Hospitality Manager
Pao Morgenstern is a born-and-raised Oregonian whose journey through wine has taken him far beyond the valley—only to return home with a broader perspective and a deeper sense of purpose. After years of traveling, working, and immersing himself in diverse wine communities across the U.S. and world, he chose to come back to the Willamette Valley to raise his family and contribute to the place that first shaped his palate.
His 15+ years of experience span all three tiers of the wine industry—wineries, distribution, and retail—offering a rare, comprehensive understanding of wine from vine to consumer. He has worked alongside winemakers, represented portfolios in competitive markets, and guided buyers and collectors toward bottles that tell a story. This range gives him a holistic view of the industry and a strong appreciation for how intention in the vineyard ultimately translates to experience at the table.
Grounded in Oregon but informed by the wider world, Pao brings both perspective and pride to his work. He believes that wine is ultimately about connection—between land and maker, bottle and guest, past and present.
Returning to the valley isn’t just a homecoming; it’s a commitment to investing his knowledge, relationships, and passion back into the community that raised him.
Stephanie Grossman, Executive Assistant and Compliance Manager
Stephanie joined the Tendril Team in October 2016 beginning with assisting Diane. She now wears many hats, including bookkeeping, compliance, permitting and managing the wine clubs. Originally from Northern Minnesota she loves taking advantage of all the activities the Pacific Northwest has to offer, especially hiking.
And consider stopping by— you might find any of Tony, Ben in the cellar or Pao in the Tasting Room on any fine day— making our seated tasting experience one of a kind in the valley.
