Twomey Cellars is the second label from the Silver Oak family, launched to give winemakers Duncan Meyers and Nathan Roberts a canvas for Merlot and Pinot Noir outside Silver Oak’s Cabernet focus. The Calistoga property on Dunaweal Lane is the label’s northern Napa home, producing estate Merlot and serving as the tasting hub for the brand.

History of Twomey Cellars

The Duncan and Ray Duncan family, who founded Silver Oak Wine Cellars in 1972, launched Twomey Cellars in 1999 as a separate label focused on Merlot and Pinot Noir. The name comes from the Duncan family’s Irish heritage. Twomey was conceived from the start as a serious effort rather than a secondary brand, with estate vineyards, dedicated winemaking, and a distinct identity.

The Calistoga property on Dunaweal Lane was established as the label’s northern Napa Valley base. Additional properties in the Russian River Valley and Willamette Valley supply the Pinot Noir program, giving Twomey a multi-regional footprint that distinguishes it from most Napa-centric labels.

Silver Oak built its reputation entirely on Cabernet Sauvignon. Twomey was created to give the same family’s winemaking team the freedom to work with Merlot and Pinot Noir, varieties that deserve serious treatment without being constrained by the parent brand’s identity.

Twomey Cellars Calistoga estate

The Dunaweal Lane property sits in a narrow valley just outside the town of Calistoga, sheltered from the warmest afternoon temperatures that define the Calistoga AVA’s valley floor. The estate vineyard is planted primarily to Merlot with additional blocks of Sauvignon Blanc.

The winery building was designed to work with the surrounding landscape and serves as the main tasting venue for the Twomey brand. The location puts it close to the Silver Oak Napa estate on Oakville Cross Road, reinforcing the family connection while giving Twomey its own separate identity and visitor experience.

The wines of Twomey Cellars

Merlot is the anchor variety at Twomey, produced in Napa Valley and occasionally from Sonoma County fruit. The Napa Valley Merlot sources from the Calistoga estate and from other Napa Valley vineyards, blended to produce a wine with more structure than many California Merlots without sacrificing the variety’s natural plushness and approachability.

Pinot Noir is produced from Russian River Valley and Willamette Valley fruit, giving Twomey a genuine presence in two of the country’s premier Pinot regions. The Russian River Pinot tends toward darker cherry and earth; the Willamette shows more restraint and red fruit. Sauvignon Blanc from the estate rounds out the lineup.

Food pairings with Twomey wines

The Merlot from Twomey is a genuinely food-friendly wine, with enough structure to hold up to serious preparations but enough approachability to work at a weeknight table. Roasted chicken with pan drippings, braised short ribs, duck breast with cherry sauce, or a mushroom risotto all match the wine’s dark fruit character and soft tannins perfectly.

The Pinot Noir program, spanning Russian River and Willamette, wants lighter preparations where its aromatic complexity can shine: roasted salmon with pinot reduction, grilled duck breast, braised rabbit, or charcuterie boards with aged cheeses. The Sauvignon Blanc from the estate is a versatile white for grilled fish, oysters, or warm-weather dining.

Twomey Cellars: common questions