Wine Advisor
Duckhorn, Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Slightly odd, Merlot-like notes of tomato join black cherries, cassis and cedar on the nose of the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon (the wine does contain 7% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc). It's medium to full-bodied, with a generally ripe, silky feel until the finish, where a touch of rusticity adds a tough edge.
About the Producer
Duckhorn Vineyards is one of the leading wineries in the Napa Valley appellation of California, USA. The winery was founded in 1976 by Dan Duckhorn and Margaret Duckhorn. In 1978, the estate produced its first vintage of 800 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 800 cases of Merlot. In the late 1980s, the Duquehorn family acquired additional vineyards to meet the demand for wine production. Today, there are seven vineyards in the Napa Valley, including Candlestick Ridge Vineyard, Stout Vineyard, Monitor Ledge Vineyard, Three Palms Vineyard, and Marley Vineyard. Vineyard, Marlee's Vineyard, Rector Creek Vineyard, Patzimaro Vineyard, and Cork Tree Vineyard. Each vineyard offers the winemaker a distinctive flavor profile. Of the various grape varieties cultivated in the vineyards, Merlot is the one to which the winery pays the most attention. In Napa in the late 1970s, most wineries typically used Merlot as a secondary blend, with few exploring the varietal's independent character. Dan, on the other hand, believed that North American soils were as well suited to Merlot cultivation as the right bank of Bordeaux, so he has since cultivated the variety heavily. In addition to Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc are cultivated in the vineyards.
