With their latest two AVA bottlings of Pinot Noir, an estate Sauvignon Blanc and a single vineyard Merlot, Twomey continues to craft delicious, food friendly and highly anticipated wines. Here’s what you need to know about these new release vintages.

2019 Sauvignon Blanc

2019 was an excellent growing season for Sauvignon Blanc. A prolonged, wet winter gave the vines plenty of water to develop strong canopies during the spring. The rains gave way to a long summer with warm temperatures-but without extreme heat events. A mild end to the summer allowed for slow, even ripening and grapes with an ideal balance of expressive fruit flavors and lively acidity. Harvest began the last week of August in Twomey’s warmer Calistoga Estate Vineyard and continued through the third week of September, when the coolest blocks of our estate Merino Vineyard finally reached optimum ripeness.

The 2019 Twomey Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of grapefruit, lemongrass and orange blossom. A palate driven by citrus with lively acidity gives way to flavors of pineapple and cream on the finish.

2018 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

Evocative of years past in Anderson Valley, cooler temperatures followed the touch of warmth in February that kicked off the 2018 growing season. Fruit set was steady and timely, followed by a mild summer that extended veraison late into the season. The daily diurnal shifts-an Anderson Valley hallmark-were moderated by the cooler summer temperatures with few heat spikes that allowed the fruit to mature slowly and steadily. This presented a balanced, healthy crop with enticing intensity of freshness, concentration of fruit flavor and full phenolic development-the ideal situation for growers and winemakers. The vintage was enchanting and memorable, which translated with ease into the wine.

With its dark ruby color, the 2018 Twomey Anderson Valley Pinot Noir has aromas of kirsch, black raspberry and rich black truffle. A light entry yields to a focused and complex palate with layered tannins to provide structure. Flavors of orange peel and dark spice culminate in a broad finish.

2018 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

The 2018 growing season in the Russian River Valley was slow and steady, starting off brisk and relatively dry. This cooler weather pattern led to a long flowering period, but fruit set was not impacted and the resulting yields were higher than typical. The methodical pace of the vintage carried through the summer with moderate temperatures allowing for uniform ripening. Harvest was later than recent vintages, pushing into late September-closer to a more classic seasonal pattern. Both the extra time on the vine and the extended harvest window allowed warmer sites to be picked while still fresh and cooler sites to ripen fully.

A concentrated tapestry of flavors, the 2018 Twomey Russian River Valley Pinot Noir has a complex yet delicate nose of black cherry, sage, red rose and tobacco. On the palate, refreshing acidity balances opulent berry notes. Voluptuous and polished tannins yield to a finish of cacao nibs and dark lingering fruit.

2016 Soda Canyon Ranch Merlot, Napa Valley

Soaking rains through mid-March fully recharged the soil at Soda Canyon Ranch, although the following spring months were relatively mild and provided little precipitation. The summer brought more of the same mild and dry weather but with very few extremes and normal diurnal swings from 100° highs during the days to 45° lows overnight. This allowed the fruit to increase in concentration while still maintaining acidity. Warm and stable temperatures in August and September carried Twomey’s vineyard team to the finish line without any rush. Twomey considers the 2016 vintage to be the fifth consecutive great wine quality year.

The 2016 Twomey Soda Canyon Ranch Merlot has aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla and spice. A silky entry with layered texture gives way to elegant tannins and a bright finish. Racked using the gentle, old world technique of soutirage traditionnel, this single vineyard wine was aged for twelve months in French oak.

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