Wine Each Week: Duckhorn 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

1982. Napa. Duckhorn debuts its Sauvignon Blanc. Reality check - AVA’s only came about a year earlier. Back then Sauv Blanc wasn’t much of a popular wine but Duckhorn dedicated themselves to planting it.  Nearly four decades later this is one of the most consistent Sauvignon Blancs to come out of Napa. It presents bright lemon zest, lime kefir, light honeysuckle, quince, mango, white peach and a bright acidity that dances on the tongue. Blended with 15% Sémillon part of the success is that winemaker Renee Ary blends both warmer and cooler vineyard sites together to offer a much more balanced approach to Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve had well over 15 vintages of this wine and it never fails to impress.

ORIGIN: Napa Valley, California

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

PRICE: $30/ 750ML

SCORE: 91 POINTS

Duckhorn

Merlot Me, Maybe

“Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy,

so here’s my number, Merlot me maybe.”

Okay, so you might be now singing that pop song in your head. Sorry about that. Anyway…October is the self proclaimed Merlot Month. Really? Does a wine need 30 days in which to prove itself? Ah…with Merlot, yes it does. Merlot has been maligned ever since the film Sideways unapologetically voiced the main character’s opinion, “I’m not drinking any fucking Merlot!” Ouch. It’s not that Merlot was a crappy grape, but that in California, back then in the early 2000s, it was overplanted creating not only glut, but lousy grapes. I love Merlot. Truly, there are some terrific examples, including Lava Cap (Sierra Foothills), and Robert Hall (Paso Robles) and a host of others. So, may I present a Merlot sampler - a range of wines worth considering this month of October that might reinvigorate your red wine consumption. At the very least, try a new Merlot, even one not on this list.

From Sonoma is the inexpensive 2014 Cannonball SonomaCounty Merlot ($14.99), a nifty little number that is a great entry Merlot for those who like more ripe frit and fewer tannins and change in your pocket. It offers rich jammy boysenberry, black berry, a little black cherry and huckleberry, a sweet oak and a pleasant personality - easy to drink, easy to love, easy on the 401k.

Moving up the scale is Peju’s 2013 Napa Valley Merlot ($38), from a certified organic vineyard in the Rutherford area of Napa, which offers more acidity, tighter tannins and more subtle fruit with notes of blackberry, boysenberry, dark plumb and raspberry, hints of sweet cedar and black cherry.

Then we come to the Duckhorn 2013 Napa Valley Merlot ($54) which is the gold standard of Merlot in California. Routinely Duckhorn Merlots provide a tactile, sensory experience with dark fruits of blackberry, boysenberry, huckleberry, pomegranate, charred resin, seamless oak integration and a constant stream of acidity working through the wine making this ideal with food.

Duck(Horn) - The Other White Meat

Napa’s Duckhorn Winery, started in 1976, is known for its exceptional Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. But tucked into their portfolio is little old Chardonnay, that other wine, often overlooked. To be sure, Napa produces a lot of Chardonnay, as does every other major wine region across the globe. Yet, the Duckhorn 2014 Napa Valley Chardonnay is all classic Napa, which means it is smooth, silky and on the nose there is candied pineapple, baked red delicious apple, quince, lemon-lime, sweet almond and cedar, a line of resin on the mid-palate and a breath of mango on the finish. There’s enough viscosity, acidity and oak to make this a very well rounded wine. It’s a surprisingly structured wine, fully fleshed out and very enjoyable to drink. I’ve long been a fan of Duckhorn in part because of their incredible consistency. Now add Chardonnay to a consistent offering and you’re on the right path. DUCKHORN.COM

ORIGIN: Napa, California

PRICE: $35/ 750ML

ALCOHOL: 14.9%

BOOZEHOUNDZ SCORE:  92 POINTS

Duckhorn: The Little Black Dress of Wine

It was Coco Chanel who came up with the Little Black Dress concept in the 1920s; that versatile, unadulterated mainstay and must-have centerpiece to any woman’s wardrobe – a classic piece of clothing that could be accessorized or not; clean, pure, functional and elegant all at the same time. Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley is the Little Black Dress of the wine world. A visit in December 2014 reminded me exactly why this is true.

Duckhorn is best known for Merlot, Cabernet, and Sauvignon Blanc: consistent, elegant, restrained and structured wines that never raise questions of integrity, nor disappoint. They are one of the blue chip wineries in Napa. At my tasting, just like revisiting old friends who get better funnier and more compatible with age, Duckhorn wines are both familiar and comforting, old-school but still cool.

Selena Gomez and her Little Black Dress

Sure, there is always a move towards flashy trendy, current, hip and employing the ‘wow factor.’ But those moments always disappear, and true staying power is what’s important. Think of any actor who splashed on the big screen with accolades, awards and throngs of admirers, but who has since left the building. That’s why they have “Were Are They Now?” shows. Duckhorn will never be that show. The perfect believability of their portfolio of wines is exactly what people crave. As a wine writer, I’ve had these wines for years, under both ownerships, and there has never been fault, only the comfort and subtle appreciation for what is reliable and unfailing.

The porch is the place to fly at Duckhorn

If you have not visited Duckhorn, or are wary of the flashy new hipster wineries in Napa (or elsewhere), consider a re-visit with Duckhorn. Their grounds are beautiful, the interior classy and appealing with maple wood tones and the wrap-around porch is the desired place to be, even on a gray and overcast December day. Checkers the cat will be ambling about, the service will be attentive, courteous and you feel like you’re back where you belong; right where classy meets comfort.Duckhorn.com

See my other Duckhorn portfolio reviews: Goldeneye