Bill Murphy

Bill Murphy was an executive at Hewlett-Packard until he retired in 2000. As the likes of Bob Mullenand Duane Croninhad done before him he made the transition from high tech to winemaking and, together with his wife Brenda (née LaChance), formed Clos LaChance winery.

Perhaps more than anyone else, Bill pioneered the vision of the backyard vineyard as a viable commercial enterprise rather than simply landscaping. His company CK Vines installed and manages many vineyards around the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley area.