Duckhorn Wine Company

Duckhorn Vineyards

Founded in 1976 on the Silverado Trail just north of St. Helena, Duckhorn's reputation has derived from the production of Merlot-based wines. The first harvest by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1978 yielded 1,600 cases and two bottlings - a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, they produce 60,000 cases represented by nine unique bottlings. To ensure the highest level of quality in these bottlings, they have been sourcing fruit from some of the finest sites in the Napa Valley for almost twenty-five years. Beginning in 1988, they embarked on an aggressive vineyard acquisition program that has resulted in the ownership of 187 plantable acres of prime Napa Valley vineyard land.

Napa Valley Merlot 2008 The 2008 growing season has produced a particularly complex and complete expression of Napa Valley Merlot, combining bright, lifted red fruit elements with darker, more extracted layers. This depth is on display in the aromatics, where notes of Asian spice, red currant, plum and blueberry crisp are supported by a subtle streak of earthiness. The palate is both velvety and balanced, with flavours that echo the aromas. These flavours are held together by granular tannins and accented by oak-inspired notes of molasses and nougat. "Medium ruby; attractive, plummy, earthy, spicy, blueberry and cherry fruit aroma with notes of cocoa and cassis; medium-full to full body; forward, tight, textured, black cherry fruit flavours that are firmly structured and have good depth and emerging richness; medium-full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Deserves several more years of bottle aging." "Very Highly Recommended", California Grapevine, June 1, 2011 "Deep crimson, this is an iconic wine that displays great depth and complexity on the nose and palate-rich black berries, plum, spice box, a whiff of sweet slightly smoky toast. Dry and medium-full bodied, there's a firm yet subtle underlying texture and acidity in complete harmony and balance with the rich fruit and fine notes of vanilla. Elegant, refined and subtle throughout, pour now with veal chops with truffle sauce or cellar medium term." winecurrent.com, 5/5 stars, May 25, 2011 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot was named the #1 Most Popular Merlot in U.S. Fine Dining Restaurants by Wine & Spirits magazine in April 2011

"Three Palms Vineyard" Merlot 2007 Napa Valley A sumptuous incarnation of Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, this mouth-filling and age-worthy wine displays suppleness, balance and structure, with seamless integration between lush fruit and new French oak. The aroma offers layered elements of fresh baked cherry pie, red licorice, and vanilla bean. On the palate, juicy boysenberry and blackberry layers intermingle with notes of strawberry, cherry, orange rind, and cinnamon spice, accented by earth tones and subtle oak.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 The product of a near-perfect growing season, this is one of the most complex and mouthfilling renditions of the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to date. Blended to showcase the rich diversity of great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it brings together grapes from some of the valley's most acclaimed winegrowing appellations and includes a mix of mountain and valley floor fruit. Aromas of ripe currant, spearmint, marzipan and tobacco lead to intense flavours of blackberry and black cherry, all supported by a subtle framework of French oak, which adds nuance, depth and dimension to the finish. "Stunning aromas of savoury forest fruits, cherry and spicy complexity. Beautifully balanced with polished perfection. Cool, fresh and restrained style with tart acidity and superb subtle tannins. Drink 2012-2020" 5/5 stars, Decanter, Feb 2011

Decoy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Since its inaugural vintage in 1985, Decoy, Duckhorn Vineyards' sister label, has taken an important place in the Duckhorn family of wines. Crafted to drink upon release, the Decoy wines benefit from the rigorous standards established for producing Duckhorn Vineyards' estate wine program. Vineyard lots used in making Decoy are harvested, vinified and aged separately so that winemaker Bill Nancarrow has a full palette of flavours to choose from for the final blends. This vintage of Decoy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers enticing aromatics, sweet red fruit, supple tannins and firm, integrated oak. Aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, cigar box, toffee and mint lead to fresh dark berry and red currant flavours and hints of dried herbs. The palate is soft and inviting, and the finish offers lingering notes of fruit, caramel and almond. "Doubtless one of the finest, if not the finest, $25 Cabs produced in the Napa Valley this vintage, the '08 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits richness and complexity on the nose, with a lush palate of ripe black and red fruits, beautifully integrated tannins, and a tantalizing finish." 91 points, winereviewonline.com, July 13, 2010

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Goldeneye Winery

Goldeneye 2007 The Anderson Valley is unusual in that unlike so many wine growing areas in California that lie between or beside mountain ranges, it literally cuts right through the Coastal Range for 15 miles, emptying into the Pacific Ocean. This proximity to the ocean provides the seemingly omnipresent fog that blankets the region and diurnal fluctuations of up to twenty five degrees celsius during the growing season. The autumn is characteristically warm and harvest comes late. Pinot Noir thrives in this locale, along with Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. With excellent weight, a succulent texture and beautifully balanced acidity, this 2007 Pinot Noir reflects the depth and diversity of great Anderson Valley winegrowing. The nose offers a sophisticated medley of aromas, including cranberry, anise, chocolate-covered cherry, toasty oak, truffles and wild flowers. On the palate, it is ripe, round and complete, with layered fruit flavours and barrel char notes that echo the complex aromatics. "Whenever I taste Goldeneye Pinot I am reminded that it is possible, although extremely rare, to make a muscular Pinot without sacrificing the elements of suppleness and elegance that draw many aficionados to this particular grape. The '07 Goldeneye is a big, powerful Pinot at 14.5 percent alcohol, yet it walks softly, exhibiting lovely finesse on the palate along with gorgeous aromas of strawberry, currant and black cherry. The ample tannins are smooth and integrated, showing modest grip on the back end, and there is a seductive note of earthy, forest floor complexity." 94 points, Robert Whitley - Wine Review Online, Jan 11, 2011

Migration

Migration Pinot Noir 2009 Migration was created in 2001 not as a "second" wine, but rather a "sister" label to Goldeneye, Duckhorn Wine Company's ultra-premium Pinot Noir venture. The name was chosen to reflect change and movement, and offers wine-maker Zach Rasmuson greater creativity and flexibility as he blends 23 separate lots, comprising 22 different clones grown on five estate vineyards and other top vineyards in the Anderson Valley to produce Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of uncompromising quality. Each lot is hand harvested, then vinified in steel and barrel-aged for 18 months in new French oak, before the blend is finalized. The aroma of the 2009 highlights rose petal, toasted bread, strawberry, black cherry and plum. The flavours follow through with strawberry, plum and cherry, complemented by dried cranberry and a slight earthiness. A lighter style than Goldeneye, this wine shows the range and suppleness of the Pinot Noir varietal.

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Paraduxx

Paraduxx 2009 Paraduxx is a unique Napa Valley Red Wine in the tradition of the world's great blends. From the Super Tuscan wines of Italy to the Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blends of Australia, each great winegrowing region has created its own authentic varietal pairings. Paraduxx's goal is to craft a world-class blend with a distinctly Californian personality by using Zinfandel, a grape synonymous with California, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Duckhorn Wine Company originally created Paraduxx to allow its winemakers the opportunity to explore other styles without detracting from Duckhorn Vineyards' focus on Bordeaux varietals. In 1994, Paraduxx sourced four tons of Zinfandel from the 100-year-old vines of Napa's Korte Vineyard. This Zinfandel was blended with Duckhorn Vineyards' own Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah to create the first Paraduxx vintage. Since then, Paraduxx has grown to include grapes from the Rector Creek Vineyard in Yountville, which benefits from well-drained rocky alluvial soils and Napa's temperate climate. The winemaking team has been so pleased with the fruit from Rector Creek that Paraduxx has used this Zinfandel as the basis for the development of its proprietary red. "This slightly opaque and dark ruby coloured red blend opens with fragrant ripe blackberry bouquet with a hint of black currant with black licorice. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced, and juicy. The flavour profile is black plum notes of mild black currant and blackberry. The finish is dry and its mild sweet oak tannins are very friendly. This wine would pair well with a messy rack of ribs." 90 pts "very good+", Ken's Wine Guide, April 28, 2011

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All wines are available by the unmixed case to Licensees and Private Consumers, subject to availability.

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