T.J. RODGERS 

T.J. Rodgers is the owner and Chief Winemaking Officer of Clos de la Tech, where he has been making wine since 1996. His vision is expressed through the estate’s three mountain vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains: Domaine du Docteur Rodgers, Domaine Valeta, and Domaine Lois Louise, each producing limited quantities of handcrafted Pinot Noir that reflect their unique terroir.

Before founding Clos de la Tech, T.J. built a distinguished career in Silicon Valley as the founder and CEO of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. A trained engineer and innovator, he holds multiple patents across fields including semiconductors, energy, and winemaking.

T.J. studied physics and chemistry at Dartmouth College, where he graduated as Salutatorian, and later earned both his master’s and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Today, he brings the same precision, curiosity, and drive for innovation to winemaking, shaping Clos de la Tech’s distinctive approach.

     VALETA RODGERS

Valeta Rodgers studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and began her professional career at Cypress Semiconductor, where she became a senior SRAM design engineer.

Her journey into wine began in the 1990s on a trip to Burgundy with her husband, T.J. Rodgers. Immersed in the region’s most iconic domaines, including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine de l’Arlot, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, and Domaine Dujac, she experienced firsthand the depth and tradition of world-class winemaking.

That moment marked a turning point. Today, as co-owner of Clos de la Tech, Valeta applies both her analytical background and her passion for craftsmanship to help guide the winery’s vision, uniting innovation with time-honored techniques.