TwoTone Farm – 73
Monday, May 9th, 2005
In a way, this posting is cheating. How? Well, technically speaking, there is no TwoTone Farm. I found no architectural monstrosity of a tasting room; no nubile tasting room attendants anxious to shove another wine club down some unsuspecting tourist’s throat; no bounty of wine-related t-shirts and bar accoutrement with which to decorate my yet-to-be-constructed private wine cellar. But TwoTone Farm IS a legitimate wine and its discovery has become an inspiration.
The inspiration lies in what is referred to as QPR: Quality Price Ratio. In this case, I have been introduced to a very drinkable Napa Valley Cabernet that sells in the $10 range (okay, I believe it was meant to retail for $14.99, but I found it on Wine.com for $9.99). Just as interesting is the wine’s lack of promotion by the producer, Beringer Blass except for a very cool CD of local alternative San Francisco bands entitled TwoTone Farm – napa Valley comes unscrewed. [sic] I was given one of the CDs because Tres Goetting was not only a Winemaker on the project, but also as a performing bass player on the CD in The Errol Previde Quartet.
Tres (at the time working at St. Clement Vineyards), along with winemaker Danielle Cyrot (from Stags’ Leap Winery), created this wine as part of a side project. Young and cutting edge, the entire packaging promotes a screw-cap, trendy fonts, and Gen-X-like dialogue on the labels such as "Not afraid to think outside the cork." I can’t help but wonder if the marketing of this great wine has faltered now that Tres is no longer involved in the project — having moved on to Ladera Vineyards, Cyrot is the name that is being associated with the wine at this time. Looking for the wine could be a struggle, but it is well worth the effort…
2002 TwoTone Farm Cabernet Sauvignon – Immediate nose of oak and berry which expands to fresh cherry. Obvious grape entry in the mouth that surprises to develop into rich and deep flavors. Old-world vanilla flavors dominate in a quality rarely seen in wines this inexpensive. Easy drinking and unpretentious. $9.99