Winery has become known for great wines and wine club experience
Published in the April 2-15, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo by Marty Cheek
Winemaker Jason Robideaux, and co-owners Brenda and Bill Murphy.
For more than a decade, Clos LaChance Winery has been producing top-notch, award-winning wines. And co-owners Bill and Brenda Murphy, along with VP of Marketing and Sales Cheryl Durzy and Kristen Murphy, said they strive to continually improve the wines and the wine tasting experience.
“We focus on quality of wine”, Durzy said. “Our wine makers are making wine the way wines should be made. We’re constantly reviewing and evaluating what we’re doing using the best technology and the best equipment to make the highest quality wines we can.”
Winemakers use sensors situated throughout the vineyard that tell them when certain areas are low on minerals, nutrients or water, and water can be automatically distributed only to the area where it’s needed.
The winery began in 1992 in the Saratoga backyard of Bill and Brenda Murphy. In 1997, they leased property from CordeValle, planted the 150-acres of vineyards in 1999 and opened to the public in 2000. Since then, the winery has become renown for its premium wines, bottling on average about 80,000 cases each year.
They make dozens of varietals in three different categories. Designate wines are sold only through the winery. These wines are made with the utmost amount of care using only the highest quality grapes from the Estate Vineyard in conjunction with the skill of their wine making team. Due to the limited amount of cases made, these wines are often reserved exclusively for wine club members.
Reserve wines are made with a wide range of varietals, these wines are often considered Clos LaChance’s staples. Made in larger volumes than the Designate Series, these wine are featured in the wine club as well as in the tasting room and online.
Estate wines are distributed primarily through wholesale markets. The Estate line is a great example of balancing quality and affordability. These wines are available in many local retail shops.
In addition to the wines, the winery also puts on a weekly outdoor concert series from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This year its adding a limited concert series in September for wine club members only.
“We’re constantly changing trying to come up with something new every year,” Durzy said.
Both the vineyards and the winery are certified sustainable and Clos LaChance was the first winery in the state to earn that designation. “The easy way to look at it is I’m leaving the environment better and we’re doing business in a way that’s right not just for our winery but for the community at well,” Durzy said.
The winery also produces what is known as Meritage (pronounced like heritage) wines which are a blend of up to five different varietals. They produce a JoLi Meritage (named after Durzy’s children Joseph and Lila), Reserve Meritage and Estate Meritage.
“When Mother Nature gives us a lemon in terms of how a varietal is grown during a season, we have other wines to use for blending to ensure quality happens from year to year,” Durzy said of the Meritage wines.
Clos LaChance Winery
Location: 1 Hummingbird Lane, San Martin
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Contact: (408) 686-1050 or clos.com
