Montana native, Dan Murphy came back to Columbia Falls after spending 32 years in California.  The last 9 1/2 years in Southern California, Dan and his wife Rebecca owned and operated a mobile wine bottling business.  Making home wine from plums and apricots since 2008, Dan’s first grape wine was in 2013.  In 2016, he discovered that wine grapes could grow in Montana and that was the ticket back home.  Getting access to 20 pounds of Marquette and Somerset grapes from a neighbor in Columbia Falls, the wine was made while taking Enology, Viticulture, and Wine Business Management classes in southern California. 

White Raven Vineyard was planted in 2017 and 2018.  Expansion is currently happening to grow from 2 acres to a total of 6 acres in conjunction with a colleague.  Dan joined MTGWA in 2017 and started White Raven Winery in late 2020. 

Dan was voted into the President of Montana Grape and Wine Association at the annual conference in 2023. 

His intent for MTGWA is to encourage more grapes planted in Montana and have resources for the new growers.  MTGWA was started with growers sharing ideas, and that is what we need to maintain as our focus.  Membership will feed itself if we encourage more people to plant vines.  By showcasing good wines made from Montana grapes and fruit, Dan thinks people will be excited to explore growing grapes.  He also believes that if we can put together a co-op location where these growers can sell them to wineries, it will further feed the cycle.