Toucan Wines
Paso Robles AVA
This one-man operation continues to produce many quality Zinfandels in the region
It's not often that we see a winery devoted to a single varietal from a single vineyard, but at Toucan Wines in Arroyo Grande, California, Doug Timewell wouldn't have it any other way.
His limited production, three and a half acre vineyard on California's Central Coast produces one of the most awarded Zinfandels in the region. Timewell got his start with Toucan Wines in 1992, after grafting his "old clone" Zinfandel and Petite Sirah from the highly regarded Benito Dusi Vineyard in Paso Robles, California. These vines were originally planted in 1923 and have been acquired by many of the top Zinfandel producers in California.
It was in Timewell's first harvest, when he fermented his grapes in two trash bins, that the winery received its name, "two cans". Although the winery continues to receive more praise year after year, Toucan Wines still remains a one-man effort. Doug Timewell carries out the entire operation, which includes the planting, trellising, irrigation, harvesting, pruning, and winemaking. Wanting to keep production small and concentrated on quality, Toucan Wines only produces 300 cases and is one of the smallest wineries and estate vineyards in California.
