Bill moved to Napa in the early ‘70s, when California wines were just starting to be taken seriously, and began his career by operating the crushers at Charles Krug, continuing on to enjoy a long history in the industry, working for Joe Heitz, Clos du Val, and Robert Mondavi. In 1975, after consuming copious amounts of wine with friends one evening, he made the decision to open a winery himself, noting that the old chicken houses on his property would be a perfect location for it. Rebuilding the houses himself, he’s been operating the small winery ever since. The first wine he produced was a stellar 1975 Pinot Noir from the Haynes Vineyard, and he’s used the grapes every vintage since then.