Dan and Margaret Duckhorn are celebrating the 35th anniversary of their winery this year, and to introduce some of their new releases–and to show off the glories of some older ones–Margaret visited St. Louis for a tasting one recent afternoon. It was a splendid experience; I've been a fan of the various Duckhorn wines since my first exposure and this tasting on a sunny spring afternoon reinforced my thinking.
And we had a slight edge on the other tasters; a year ago, on the same sort of perfect afternoon, we were visiting Margaret at the Napa Valley winery and tasting a few of these fine wines.
The Duckhorns, who pay tribute to waterfowl in a variety of ways, make wine at their properties in Napa and and Mendocino counties, the latter specializing in delicious Pinot Noirs under the Goldeneye and Migration labels. The Napa wines also are sold under several labels, with Paraduxx (a charming word play on "pair of ducks" and "paradox") the top of the line followed by Duckhorn and Decoy. The key Napa varietal grapes –Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot–are blended into various Bordeaux-style wines, using blending grapes like Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
A pair of Paraduxx Napa Valley Reds, from 2003 and 2006, were rich and gorgeous, with plum and blackberry overtones, hits of leather and cedar in the finish. They were slightly different blends, but both were outstanding. The '03 was 63 percent Zin, 33 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 percent Cabernet Franc and 2 percent Merlot. The '06 was 64 percent Zin, 27 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 7 percent Merlot and 2 percent Cabernet Franc. The latter, even though younger, seemed a bit softer, probably because of the use of a little extra Merlot, but both were exciting.
The Duckhorn brand involves three Merlots, one from Napa, one from Howell Mountain and one from the Three Palms Vineyard, a classic old property in the middle of the county, with some venerable palm trees donating the name. All are mostly Merlot (the law says that for the wine to carry a grape name, at least three-fourths of it must come from that grape), blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A classic '06 Cabernet Sauvignon, with touches of Merlot and Petit Verdot, is a brilliant tribute to the skill of winemaker Bill Nancarrow.
Decoy offers each of the California varietals; I was especially impressed with the Zinfandel, the Merlot and the Napa Red, which is 43 percent Merlot, the same amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Cabernet franc and 4 percent Petit Verdot, a delicious blend with mouth-filling flavor and body.
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RECENT TASTINGS: There's a lot of moderately priced wine out there, in retail stores or on restaurant lists. And prices have dropped on some top labels. Carry a little notebook and a pen when you're out. Write down the wines you like. It may be of even more value to write down then ones you don't like. The wine merchant, like the tailor and the bookmaker, were prime aides to young men of a certain class in England. In one-on-one relationships, they're all reliable and honest people.
As we get into summer, rose wines are growing in popularity. They're light and fresh, dry and fruity, excellent with chilled summer soups and salads.
When it comes to imported wine, check the labels and look at the importers. Kermit Lynch is one of the best. Based in Berkeley, Calif., www.kermitlynch.com sells via the Internet and has some wonderful bargains. He's big on roses, and a 2009 from Corbieres, Domaine de Fointsainte, is a terrific blend of Grenache, Carignane and Syrah, usually available for less than $20. Bobby Kacher, out of D.C., is another importer whose wines I like.
J Vineyards, in the Russian River Valley, with grapes growing between the river and Highway 101, is owned by Judy Jordan, who grew up at the Jordan vineyards where her father, Tom, made wine under his name. Her brother, John, now runs that winery. J has a 2007 Russian River Chardonnay that is more in the French style than that used by many of its California neighbors. Aged in Burgundian oak,winemaker George Bursick makes a Chardonnay that is crisp and tasty, with good fruit and a minimal amount of the buttery notes I consider unpleasant. Also available on line at www.jwine.com
And a couple of excellent Cabernet Sauvignons from Australia, a 2008 Phoenix from Penley Estate ($20) in Coonawarra, and a 2006 Kilikanoon ($30) from the Clare Valley. The latter, a couple of years older, shows its increased maturity by being softer and rounder, with the tannins fading. Plums and black cherries on the tongue. Kym Tolley uses the Penley name as a tribute to the two pioneer Australian winemaking families to which he is related, the Penfolds and the Tolleys. Phoenix remembers his great-grandfather, Douglas Tolley, who founded the Phoenix Winemaking and Distilling Company in1888. It's still youthful, with a large amount of berries on the palate and hints of cedar in the aroma.
-Joe