New winemakers for Silver Oak and Twomey

The Duncan family of Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Cellars have announced the appointment of two new winemakers — one for each of the Californian wineries.

Nate Weis will join as winemaker for Silver Oak

Nate Weis will join as winemaker for Silver Oak and Erin Miller as Pinot Noir winemaker for Twomey, managing wine production from grape to bottle and serving as ambassadors for their respective wineries.

“Nate and Erin embody the intelligence, vision and energy of our culture – characteristics that ensure the thoughtful guidance of Silver Oak and Twomey into the future,” said David R. Duncan, President and CEO of Silver Oak and Twomey, who noted that Weis is only the third winemaker in the 42-year history of Silver Oak.

Weis, a Napa Valley native and second generation winemaker, joins Silver Oak with over ten years of experience, having previously worked with Patz & Hall Wine Company, Etude Wines, and most recently as Winemaker for Antica Napa Valley and Aril Wines. In 2014, he was selected as a “Professional to Watch” by The North Bay Business Journal in its annual ’40 Under 40′ awards. He holds a BS in Biopsychology/Neuroscience from UC Santa Barbara, an MS in Viticulture & Enology from UC Davis and an MBA from Sonoma State University.

Erin Miller was most recently with Provingage Wine Associates, working for Evening Land Vineyards as California Winemaker and Oregon Assistant Winemaker and managing four boutique wineries. Previously she worked for Hartford Family Winery and Kendall-Jackson’s Vinwood Cellars. Erin earned her MS from UC Davis, and holds a BA in Mathematics and Russian Language Studies from Lewis and Clark College. Prior to entering the winemaking profession, Miller spent nearly three years in the U.S. Peace Corps based in Niger, West Africa.

Weis and Miller worked together previously, collaborating on research into Grape Berry Shrivel while earning their Masters degrees at UC Davis. That work resulted in the publication of ‘Inception, Progression and Compositional Consequences of ‘Berry Shrivel’ Disorder’ in The American Journal of Enology and Viticulture.

Erin Miller joins as Pinot Noir winemaker for Twomey

“Nate’s roots in the Napa Valley and the wine industry, his deep experience with Cabernet Sauvignon and his relentless focus on continuous improvement – one of our core values – make him an excellent match for Silver Oak,” said Daniel Baron, Director of Winemaking for Silver Oak and Twomey.

He continued, “Meanwhile, Erin’s passion for vineyard-driven winemaking and her reputation for crafting site-specific Pinot Noirs are qualities that are sure to benefit the continued development of the Twomey Pinot Noir program.”