Many would agree that the best thing to happen to American wine, particularly Californian wine, was the Judgement of Paris (1976) that pitched it into the global arena. The contest not only stole the limelight from French wines but also ushered the American wine industry into an era of recognition and prosperity. Napa Valley now houses many renowned wineries that are favourites with wine connoisseurs across the world. Duckhorn Vineyards is one such iconic producer, that is counted among the pioneers of Napa wines. Recently, Karl Coveney Director, APAC, Africa, and Middle East Sales, Duckhorn Vineyards arrived in New Delhi to conduct a Masterclass showcasing the history and three of their best-selling wines imported in India.
The rich legacy of Duckhorn Vineyards
Established in 1976 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, Duckhorn Vineyards is nestled in the northern part of the Napa Valley, specifically in the St. Helena appellation. They launched their first vintage in 1978, with a modest 800 cases each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Today, Duckhorn owns ten renowned wineries, eight state-of-the-art winemaking facilities, seven tasting rooms and more than 1,100 acres of vineyards spanning 32 sustainably farmed Estate properties. They also source grapes from top cultivators in California for some of their wines. The Duckhorn portfolio features some of North America’s most revered wineries, including Decoy, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, Migration, Canvasback, Calera, Kosta Browne, Greenwing and Postmark.
Duckhorn Snapshot
- The “Duckhorn” name has an interesting story. Dan’s grandfather, migrated from Hungary to the US. When inquired by the immigration authorities about his name and the purpose of visit, he spelt out his Hungarian name, and the purpose as “to hunt ducks”. Voilà! The Duckhorn name was born for the ease of communication.
- Duckhorn owns nine wineries covering all the major California appellations and one Washington State winery. These wineries cover 31 AVAs (American Viticulture Areas), 15 grape varieties, and almost 200 different wines, priced from $ 20 to $ 200+.
- Duckhorn wines are present in every State of the USA and 65 countries worldwide. Their top three overseas markets are- Canada, Japan and Korea.
- Duckhorn Vineyards’ flagship “Three Palms Vineyard” is considered a consistent benchmark for New World Merlot wines.
An Insightful Masterclass
Coveney’s presentation included valuable insights into the overall Duckhorn portfolio followed by a tasting of three of their wines imported in India. It was a revelation that Duckhorn is the Number One Luxury Wine Producer (wines priced above $ 15) in the US, based on the data published by IRI- a reputed market intelligence, data and analytics firm.
Each of the Duckhorn wineries brings a unique value to the table. For example, if the Decoy winery (75% of their total production) is recognized for churning-out attractively priced wines from exceptional vineyard sources, the Kosta Browne winery in the Sonoma County produces some of the world’s finest Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. The original Duckhorn winery itself makes several elegant Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines with grapes sourced from eight Estate vineyards, located across the various microclimates of the Napa Valley. Then there is the 1994 founded Paraduxx winery that has earned acclaim as the only California winery solely devoted to Napa Valley blends.
Wines Tasted at the Duckhorn Masterclass
(Approximate prices shown are ex Gurugram)
Decoy Sauvignon Blanc 2021
ABV: 13.9%
Grape: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
MRP: ₹ 5000
Tasting Notes: An expressive, crisp and flavourful wine with citrus, green apple and grassy aromas. After sometime in the glass, the wine exhibited tropical notes like pineapple and passion fruit. The wine ended on the palate with a mineral finish.
Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot 2020
ABV: 14.5%
Grapes: 80% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
MRP: ₹ 8500
It was in 1978 that the first vintage of Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot was produced after their Founder Dan Duckhorn visited Bordeaux and got inspired to do so. Ever since then, Duckhorn Vineyards is widely recognized for their pioneering work in making high quality Merlot wines.
Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot 2020 wine is a blend of several individual vineyard lots and has a little Cabernet Sauvignon added for an additional depth and structure. The wine is aged 15 months in French oak barrels (40% new oak) that are sourced from 20 different Coopers of France.
Tasting Notes: A “fruit-forward” wine with aromas of red currant, ripe plum and sweet spice. The palate is rich and luxurious, with silky tannins and flavors of ripe red berries, dried figs and an elegant finish.
Duckhorn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
ABV: 14.5%
Grapes: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
MRP: ₹ 9500
Duckhorn Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 too is a blend of fruit from estate vineyards and other Napa Valley growers. The wine is aged for 16 months in French oak.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of dark berries, plum and tobacco, leading to a luscious rounded palate with a powerful stucture and complex flavours of dark fruits. The wine offers a great balance between fruit, oak and tannins.
Currently, five wines from the Duckhorn portfolio are available in India. Apart from the three wines tasted at the New Delhi Masterclass as above, the two others are Decoy Pinot Noir (₹6500) and Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon (₹ 5500). According to Coveney, they are considering expanding this portfolio in consultation with their importers Radelan Distributors Pvt Ltd. in the near future.
Wine lovers in India would certainly look forward to tasting a wider range of such quality wines.
