Glenn G.
Yelp
Around about the turn of the 21st Century; someone gave me a five-year old bottle of Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon for my birthday. Shortly thereafter, I invited a friend over to my Man Cave, ordered one of my favorite pizzas, and my friend and I shared both the pizza and the wine. Before drinking it that first time, I decanted the Duckhorn Cabernet for 8 hours. Subsequently, I worked out by trial and error that (for me) when drinking Duckhorn Cabernet decanting for several hours prior is required - unless the wine is 9 years old or older. Ever since I drank that first bottle of Duckhorn, I've been an ardent fan. Duckhorn's Cabernet are consistently excellent, and I always try to have a couple of bottles on hand for special (and not so special) occasions.
The next time I was in their neighborhood, I made a tasting appointment. When we arrived for our tasting we were escorted to our table outside the main building on the beautiful Duckhorn Vineyards. The sommelier who took care of us that day was exceptional. She spent time telling us in detail about all the wines they were pouring that day; she event offered us several tastes of wines that were not on the regular tasting menu. Unfortunately, I hadn't anticipated how much we'd enjoy this tasting visit, so the only way we could take advantage of the offered extra tastings was to cancel our next appointment.
Tip: If you're a fan of big, complex reds, I strongly suggest that you don't schedule a tasting appointment afterwards that's too close to yoour appointment here; you'll be much happier if you allow sufficient time here first.
To sum it all up, the grounds and interior sitting areas of Duckhorn Vineyards are beautiful, and their wines (especially their signature Cabernet) are among the best available in wine country. I strongly suggest that you take the time to get acquainted with Duckhorn the next time you find yourself in their neighborhood.
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Note: According to Wikepedia, the company that owns Duckhorn (The Duckhorn Portfolio Inc), owned ten wineries (under various different names) as of 2021. Their portfolio includes:
Duckhorn Vineyards: Napa Valley red and white wine
Decoy: varietal and blended red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines
Paraduxx: Napa Valley blended red, white, and rosé
Goldeneye: Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, rosé, and sparkling
Migration: red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines from the Russian River Valley, Santa Maria Valley, and other locations.
Canvasback: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Riesling, and rosé from Washington State