Murphy Goode in Healdsburg, CA
20 Matheson St., Healdsburg, CA 95448
Website: http://www.murphygoodewinery.com/
Murphy-Goode winery has a slogan on their website “Serious wine. Serious fun!” and that sums up my experience with them. I have visited on a couple of occasions and my husband became a wine club member because we were impressed with their customer service and low-cost quality wines. Murphy-Goode’s tasting room is located in downtown Healdsburg. This winery is one of many that make up the Jackson Family Wines portfolio, owned by the Kendall-Jackson family. Jackson Family Wines owns 20 wineries in Sonoma and Napa alone, in addition to a handful of others in California and Oregon. The winery was started in 1985 by Tim Murphy, Dale Goode, and Dale Ready over a game of Liar’s Dice (hence the name of one of their wines). They started by producing Fumé Blanc and Chardonnay and expanded to include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and other Bordeaux blends. All of the original founders have since passed away, and Kendall-Jackson purchased the winery in 2006. Dave Ready, Jr. remains the winemaker.
A picture of Dale Ready, Jr. in Murphy Goode’s tasting room
There are so many things about Murphy-Goode’s tasting room that make it fun. For one, the winemaker grew up in Minnesota and is a hardcore Vikings fan. The décor of the winery is purple and gold in honor of the Vikings. They hand out viking helmets when you join the wine club. The tasting room is off a side street in Healdsburg just around the corner from Toad Hollow and La Crema tasting rooms. Outside the tasting room is a seating area with a couple of couches, chairs, and umbrellas. If you choose to sit outside, one of the staff members will come out to serve your wine. The inside of the tasting room was remodeled in 2014. It includes a shuffle board and photo booth and a large photo of Dale Ready, Jr. on the wall wearing his Viking helmet in the vineyard. There’s a semi-circular tasting bar that can accommodate a few small groups of people at a time. On both occasions that I visited I found that the staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was very casual.
Murphy Goode Tasting Room in Healdsburg, CA
Despite the playful nature of the winery, they take their wines seriously. They produce a range of whites and reds that I found enjoyable. The best part is that most of them can be purchased for under $30 a bottle, some under $20. Several of the names of the red wines have a poker theme to them in honor of the original owners, like Dealer’s Choice, All In, and Poker Knight. In addition, they make a red blend called Homefront Red for a very reasonable $14 per bottle, and a portion of the proceeds goes to Operation Homefront that provides emergency assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors.