Duckhorn Vineyards Wins the Readers' Choice Award for Best Domestic Red Wine
Duckhorn Vineyards, located in St. Helena, Ca., is the winner of the Readers' Choice Award for Best Domestic Red Wine.
Co-founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has spent nearly 35 years establishing itself as one of North America's premier producers of Bordeaux varietal wines. From its modest inaugural vintage of 800 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 800 cases of Merlot in 1978, to its addition of Sauvignon Blanc in 1982, Duckhorn Vineyards has crafted a tradition of quality and excellence that continues today.
Duckhorn made an early decision to focus on the production of Merlot. Though many Napa Valley wineries were using Merlot as a blending grape in the late 1970's, few were exploring the potential of this varietal as a stand-alone wine. A great fan of Merlot since traveling to St. Emilion and Pomerol, Dan Duckhorn felt that this elegant varietal was under appreciated in North America. "I liked the softness, the seductiveness, the color," says Duckhorn. "The fact that it went with a lot of different foods; it wasn't so bold, didn't need to age so long, and it had this velvety texture to it. It seemed to me to be a wonderful wine to just enjoy. I became enchanted with Merlot."
The quality of Duckhorn Vineyards' wines has always been based on a commitment to selecting the finest fruit. Whether carefully sourcing grapes from top sites in the Napa Valley or committing itself to estate vineyards, the winery was built on the belief that great wines begin in the vineyard. The winery's seven estate vineyards are located in alluvial fans of the Napa Valley and on the coveted slopes of Howell Mountain which is not often affected by the fog that creeps into Napa Valley during the summer months.
Executive Winemaker Bill Nancarrow, a native New Zealander who was handpicked by the Duckhorn family, uses an artisan's approach to winemaking. He blends from almost 200 distinctive lots using taste and instinct, not formula. Wines are barrel-aged separately by vineyard lot, utilizing an extensive barrel program that sources 25 different types of oak from 13 separate cooperages. The majority of the barrels are made from French oak in the Bordeaux Chateau-style. These barrels breathe easier, encouraging the wines to develop. Duckhorn also uses water bent barrels, a process which removes harsh tannins from the wood, bringing about toasty, caramelized flavors. Its' red wines are ready to drink when released but they can also mature in the bottle including short and long-term cellaring.
Duckhorn's traditionally-designed Estate House is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Here, guests can stroll in Duckhorn's beautiful gardens, view its unique temperature-controlled aboveground cellar and taste its wines. Options incude the "Essential Tasting" ($15 per person) which features four current release wines from its Napa Valley Portfolio. The "Enhanced Tasting" ($25 per person) includes five limited production and/or Estate Grown wines.
Executive Winemaker Bill Nancarrow, a native New Zealander who was handpicked by the Duckhorn family, uses an artisan's approach to winemaking. He blends from almost 200 distinctive lots using taste and instinct, not formula. Wines are barrel-aged separately by vineyard lot, utilizing an extensive barrel program that sources 25 different types of oak from 13 separate cooperages. The majority of the barrels are made from French oak in the Bordeaux Chateau-style. These barrels breathe easier, encouraging the wines to develop. Duckhorn also uses water bent barrels, a process which removes harsh tannins from the wood, bringing about toasty, caramelized flavors. Its' red wines are ready to drink when released but they can also mature in the bottle including short and long-term cellaring.
Duckhorn's traditionally-designed Estate House is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Here, guests can stroll in Duckhorn's beautiful gardens, view its unique temperature-controlled aboveground cellar and taste its wines. Options incude the "Essential Tasting" ($15 per person) which features four current release wines from its Napa Valley Portfolio. The "Enhanced Tasting" ($25 per person) includes five limited production and/or Estate Grown wines.
