Deep ruby color; blackcurrant, blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, fig, cocoa, violets, cardamon, graphite on the nose and palate.
Dry; dusty, firm tannins and good acidity (3.73 pH; 5.9 g/L TA) provide impressive structure. Medium body, elegant, smooth in the mouth. Subtly long, tapering finish. Blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 1% cabernet franc. Aged 16 months in French oak, 50% new, 50% neutral. 14.5% ABV
The grapes came from Duckhorn vineyards, also from independent growers in Napa—thus Napa Valley designation. Duckhorn also produces a number of premier—more expensive—single-vineyard merlots from their estate vineyards, which have long established the winery as a premier maker of merlot.
After working at Duckhorn for a decade, Renée Ary became the fourth winemaker in the 41-year history of Duckhorn in 2014. The website notes: “Renée is recognized for making some of the finest wines in the history of Duckhorn Vineyards.” Renée notes: “I am incredibly fortunate to work with some of Napa Valley’s most exceptional grapes. There is no recipe or formula. My job is to let the vineyards speak and convey the soul of the wine.”
Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Duckhorn Vineyards in 1976. They focused on merlot in the beginning. Today, the seven estate vineyards are located in the Napa Valley and on the slopes of Howell Mountain and produce a number of varietals in addition to the merlot core. In this effort they still use some merlot to add softness and complexity.
The company is undergoing change. Dan and Margaret divorced in 2000. Dan was named Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2005. GI Partners, a private equity firm, purchased controlling interest in the Duckhorn Wine Company in 2007. In 2016, TSG Consumer Partners bought the brand and its wineries for a price in the range of $600 million according to published reports. TSG took the company public in 2021.
Change continued in 2024, two years after this wine’s production. In December 2024, Butterfly Equity, a private equity firm, acquired The Duckhorn Portfolio for $1.95 billion in an all-cash transaction. The company is now engaged in a repositioning, shutting down four brands—Canvasback, Migration, Paraduxx, and Postmark—to concentrate on the seven core brands that represent 96% of net sales. The Duckhorn Vineyards brand represents one-third of sales, followed by Decoy (21%) and Sonoma-Cutrer (15%) and Kosta Browne (13%).
Margaret Duckhorn, who was intimately involved in the business even after the sales, passed in 2022, the year this wine was made. Duckhorn president and CEO: “Margaret was an icon who changed the face of American wine. She was kind, gracious, collaborative and charitable. Margaret always led by example, and instilled this remarkable sense of camaraderie, which made her a talented leader with a gift for empowering people and building consensus. She was deeply loved and universally respected.”
Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2022 is a nicely structured and complex celebration of Napa cab with a smoothing dash of famed Duckhorn merlot. Easy drinking, smoothly delicious. This is elegant, genteel lane of Napa cab. $80
Pairing—Steaks, ribeye, New York strip, prime rib, braised short ribs, slow-cooked brisket; rosemary-grilled lamb; aged-cheddar burger with bacon and onion. Venison backstrap, duck breast. Porcini mushroom risotto with parmigiano-reggiano, grilled portobello steaks with truffled polenta. Cheese—Aged cheddar, Vermont Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, aged gouda; ossau-iraty, San Andreas, ewenique, comté/beaufort, parmigiano-reggiano.
