Twomey Cellars Buys Acclaimed Monument Tree Vineyard
Healdsburg, California
June 22, 2010
Healdsburg, Calif. – Twomey Cellars has purchased one of Anderson Valley’s most sought-after vineyards for Pinot Noir, the 17-acre Monument Tree Vineyard. So-named because of the imposing lightning-struck redwood tree that guards the hillside vineyard, Monument Tree is the main source of the Twomey Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, as well as critically-acclaimed Pinot Noirs from producers such as Copain Wines, Drew and Couloir Wines. As a key component of Twomey’s portfolio of Pinot Noirs, the vineyard is also featured on a new Google Earth video narrated by Twomey Winemaker Ben Cane posted at http://www.twomeycellars.com/videos/vineyardtour.
“Monument Tree is one of the best-known and highly-regarded vineyards in Anderson Valley. When our family was presented with the opportunity to acquire the site we thought it was almost too good to be true,” said David R. Duncan, Managing Partner of Twomey Cellars and President and CEO of Silver Oak Cellars.
Located only twelve miles from the Pacific coast at the western end of Anderson Valley, Monument Tree Vineyard further solidifies the Duncan family’s commitment to producing expressive and unique Pinot Noirs from appellations best-suited to the varietal. Winemaker Ben Cane, who focuses exclusively on Twomey Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, has spent the last several years searching out vineyards and growers for Twomey’s Pinot Noir wines. Fruit from Monument Tree Vineyard has been used in every vintage of Twomey Anderson Valley Pinot Noir since 2007 and it will be the main source of fruit for future vintages. The 2008 Twomey Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is the current release.
“Monument Tree Vineyard is the kind of site you dream about when you love Pinot Noir,” says Cane. “It is situated in the “deep end” of Anderson Valley, west of Ferrington and Savoy Vineyards where we also source fruit for our Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Monument Tree’s proximity to the coast allows for a longer ripening period to develop more complexity in the fruit. Its northeastern exposure gives it plenty of sunshine in the morning, but keeps it cool through the afternoon. This vineyard is planted to a selection of Dijon clones on decomposed sandstone loam soils; it’s the ultimate low vigor slow-ripening vineyard.”
Twomey made its first Pinot Noir in 2002 from its estate West Pin Vineyard in Russian River Valley. The Duncan family subsequently purchased the Healdsburg winery in 2006 and over a two year period completely retrofitted it for Pinot Noir, bringing in small (2- and 5-ton) open top fermentors with separate heating and chilling plates for maximum temperature control. Cane joined Twomey Cellars in 2007 with prior experience in Australia, Burgundy, Santa Barbara and the Sonoma Coast. In 2007, Cane expanded the Twomey Pinot Noir portfolio to include four Pinot Noir wines from four appellations: Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast and Santa Barbara County.
In conjunction with the Monument Tree acquisition, Twomey has posted what may be the only narrated video using Google Earth to indicate vineyard sourcing on its website at http://www.twomeycellars.com/videos/vineyardtour. Cane’s voice takes the viewer to all of Twomey’s vineyard sources starting from the winery home in Healdsburg up to Anderson Valley and Monument Tree Vineyard, across to the Sonoma Coast and down into Santa Barbara County for a quick but fascinating look at the geologic and climatic factors that affect vineyard location and terrain, farming, and ultimately grape quality.
“This is a way to bring these incredible vineyards to life, to demonstrate what makes them so special and unique,” said Cane. “It was great fun to make.”
Twomey Cellars was founded in 1999 by the Duncan Family of Silver Oak Cellars with the same philosophy that has guided Silver Oak since 1972: make food-friendly wines that are deliciously drinkable upon release. With an intense dedication to winemaking technique and varietal focus, Twomey has two wineries, one in Calistoga (Napa Valley) for Merlot and one in Healdsburg (Sonoma County) designed for Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.