Meet the Owner

Chris began his career in the hospitality industry while attending Boston University, where he pursued a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. He moved to Chicago in 1990 to work with the Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant Group, where his growing interest in wine led him to formal studies at the Chicago Wine School.

After relocating to Denver, Chris worked for the California Café, where he established a school for public wine education. This program later expanded to several outlets, including The Seasoned Chef and City Wine. Following thirteen years in the restaurant industry, extensive travel, and a deep commitment to the Court of Master Sommeliers program—ultimately reaching the Advanced level—Chris shifted his focus full-time to wine and spirits education and sales.

During this period, he founded Barique, a multifaceted company offering restaurant consulting, wine education, private and commercial wine storage design, and wine cellar management services.

Chris began his career on the wholesale side of the wine industry in 2001, spending more than four years at Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado as Director of Education and Vice President of the Signature Fine Wine Division. While managing portfolios of family-owned wineries, he became closely acquainted with the wines, winemakers, and families of Old Bridge Cellars.

In 2005, Chris accepted the role of Central States Sales Director, representing a collective of fiercely independent, artisan-focused winemakers. Over the next twenty years, he grew alongside the company, eventually serving as Division Manager—overseeing half the country—and as Chain Accounts Manager.

In 2026, Chris embarked on the next chapter of his wine and spirits journey with the founding of CJR Beverage Solutions. CJR Beverage Solutions is a full-service brokerage and marketing group dedicated to championing family-owned wineries and spirits producers who pursue truly distinctive, regionally driven styles that stand confidently among the world’s best.