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Bruce Murray
Owner of Finger Lakes (NY) Riesling and Cabernet Franc wine
Bruce Murray is the owner of Boundary Breaks, LLC, a winery located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Here are some key details about Bruce Murray:
Background and Career
Bruce Murray had an extensive career in business and technology before entering the wine industry:
- He worked for 10 years at Newsday/New York Newsday in various management positions in advertising and circulation.1
- From 1996-2001, he was VP of Sales and Marketing at Zip2, an early Internet mapping company co-founded by Elon Musk.1
- In 2002, he co-founded Corzen, Inc., a real-time labor market information services provider.1
- From 2008-2014, he was CEO of WANTED Technologies, a business intelligence company for the talent marketplace.1
Transition to Wine
In 2007, at around 50 years old, Bruce Murray purchased a 120-acre farm on the east side of Seneca Lake in New York, which would become Boundary Breaks.2 His motivations for entering the wine industry included:
- Wanting to be his own boss
- Creating a product he could be proud of
- Attempting to sell that product globally
- Returning to central New York where he grew up4
Boundary Breaks Winery
- Boundary Breaks focuses primarily on Riesling and Cabernet Franc wines.2
- The winery takes a unique approach, growing grapes on their estate but partnering with other Finger Lakes wineries for vinification.2
- Bruce aims to achieve maximum ripeness in his grapes to produce high-quality wines across different styles.2
- Boundary Breaks wines have received recognition, with some Rieslings being named to Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines in the World lists.1
Personal
- Bruce Murray holds a BA from Yale University.
- He is married to Diana Lyttle, who is also co-owner of Boundary Breaks.34
- Prior to starting the winery, Bruce had limited knowledge of grape-growing and winemaking, relying heavily on advice from others in the industry.4
Bruce Murray's journey from the tech industry to winemaking represents a significant career shift, driven by a desire to create a high-quality product in a region he was familiar with.
Highlights
May 2 · grapecollective.com
Bruce Murray of Boundary Breaks: Leaving a life of tech startups for ...