Murphy-Goode Winery

California Wine, Alexander Valley

About Murphy-Goode Vineyard Wine

Murphy-Goode Winery is quite serious about grape growing and winemaking, but in the end they want to produce something that brings to mind a three day weekend. Tim Murphy and Dale Goode are two modern pioneers in winegrowing in Northern Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. With some 300 acres of prime vineyards, in 1985 they teamed with energetic wine marketer Dave Ready to start Murphy-Goode and produce full flavored wines from their own exceptional grapes. By developing their own winery, the growers control their destiny from vineyard to consumer.

Fine Wine Merchant, the Saratoga Wine Exchange, has many selections of Murphy-Goode wines in stock.

Murphy-Goode Winery Fumé Blanc

This is our most vineyard driven wine. The Murphy family farm and manage the fruit to develop tropical and melon-like flavors rather than the green herbaceousness often associated with the variety. Winemaker David Ready Jr. cold ferments the majority of the wine to heighten the bright fruit characteristics while fermenting a small percentage in barrel to add richness and texture. This results in a crisp wine with notes of ripe grapefruit, tropical fruit and fig.

Murphy-Goode Winery Reserve Fumé

David Jr. selects special lots of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musqué from our estate vineyards in Alexander Valley for this wine. The Musqué clone contributes rich tangerine flavors and viscosity to this fully-fruited wine. Depending on the vintage, varying percentages of the wine undergo malolactic fermentation to lend touches of honey and vanilla to complement the fruit flavors of pear, white peach and passion fruit. Reserve Fumé is barrel fermented for 8 months to deliver a high intensity wine with a long, memorable finish.

Murphy-Goode Winery Chardonnay

This Murphy-Goode wine is barrel fermented in the traditional white wine Murphy-Goode combination of French and American oak barrels. A varying percentage of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation to add a slightly rounder texture while still preserving the fresh Chardonnay fruit characteristics. The apricot and pear aromas and flavors of this clean, fresh Chardonnay are highlighted with just the right hint of oak.

Murphy-Goode Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Hillside and bench-land vineyards on the eastern slope of the Alexander Valley create a classic Cabernet Sauvignon with soft texture and rich flavors. Small lots of Merlot and Petit Verdot are blended from time to time for added complexity. Layers of sweet black fruit and spice are the distinguishing feature of our Cabernet.

We achieve considerable complexity of aroma and depth of flavor in this Alexander Valley Merlot through selection from several different vineyard sources. The steep hillside estates of Murphy Ranch and Robert Young Vineyards, in the heart of Alexander Valley provide the wine’s core of black fruit components, while vineyards on the bench-land in the southern part of the Alexander Valley add spice and further complexity.

Murphy-Goode Winery Pinot Noir

Jim and Kathy Murphy grow Pinot Noir on four acres on the west bank of the Russian River. This small block is planted to five different clones and is pruned, manicured and cluster-thinned by Jim himself. Jim’s feeling is that it is the unique location of J&K Vineyard that allow the vines to draw from their environment with only minimal agricultural manipulation. This richly balanced Pinot Noir shows concentrated flavors of exotic spice, ripe black cherry and currant, accentuated by sweet lingering oak.

Murphy-Goode Winery Zinfandel

The late Tim Murphy was the architect of our Zinfandel program in a plan conceived over 20 years of breakfasts and “liar’s dice” games at Mickey’s Café in Geyserville. Tim’s circle of friends at these early morning meetings are some of the finest Zin growers in Sonoma County and now are the fruit source for Liar’s Dice Zinfandel. Dense black cherry, raspberry jam, and currant notes are brought together in layers with sweet vanilla oak.

Murphy-Goode Winery Petit Verdot

We planted four acres of Petit Verdot with the intent to use it exclusively for blending purposes with our Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot programs. During our blending trials of Bordeaux varietals, we tasted numerous blends and were captivated by the Petit Verdot and decided to not only use it for blending with the Cabernet and Merlot, but to produce a wine with Petit Verdot as the principal variety. Blended with a percentage of Merlot, this wine displays expressive black aromas that carry through the broad, succulent palate.