3000 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95548
Website: https://www.twomey.com/healdsburg
Twomey Cellars has two locations, one in Napa and the other in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma. This winery is owned by the Silver Oak family who is very well known for their prestigious Cabernet Sauvignon. David and Tim Duncan started Twomey in 1999 because they wanted to spread their wings into other varietals. They have been applying their wine expertise to create food-friendly wines like Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.
My husband and I visited the Sonoma winery. The winery is located right outside the town of Healdsburg. It is a modern facility that blends into the landscape. Out front of the tasting room is a large stone wall with a waterfall. A tall glass doorway leads into the tasting room and glass windows continue all along the back side of tasting room looking out onto a patio and vineyards. The tasting room is wide open with a very modern flair. The tasting bar is white with a metal counter top situated toward the left corner looking toward the patio. There are cool pendant lights hanging from the wood panel ceiling over the bar. The room is quite spacious. On the right side of the room is some seating. There’s also a gift area across from the tasting bar. Guests are welcome to taste at the bar, grab a seat around the room, or go outside to the patio with a nice view of the valley.
Twomey’s tasting menu included samplings of their three varietals – Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. I got to sample a 2006 and a 2009 Napa Valley Merlot side-by-side. It’s always intriguing to me to get to compare wines like this and see how different they can vary from one year to the next. The 2006 was smoky and could pair with steak while the 2009 had a lot of cherry and would pair well with BBQ. My personal favorite from the tasting was the Bien Nacido Pinot Noir with rich berries and mocha flavors. It was velvety smooth. I had a few bottles shipped home.