Duckhorn The Discussion 2008
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is by far the most expensive of Duckhorn's new releases, but it's not the best to drink now. Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, it's easy to imagine the winemaker singling out the most tannic and concentrated lots, but what you get is, simply, a very tannic wine. There's a gigantic core of blackberry and black currant fruit, but it's hard to appreciate because of the astringency. The suggestion is longterm aging, but there can be no guarantees. Cellar Selection.
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Wine Spectator
Slow to unfold, but does so gracefully, unveiling a tight core of dried currant, sage and herb flavors, with cedar and tobacco leaf. Shows excellent focus and structure. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2014 through 2026.
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Connoisseurs'
Guide -
Wine &
Spirits
Founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting classic Napa Valley wines for nearly 40 years. This winemaking tradition has grown to include seven meticulously farmed Estate vineyards, located throughout the various microclimates of the Napa Valley. Focused on quality and consistency, these Estate vineyards are an essential element in making wines of distinction. Pioneering and perfecting Merlot as a premium varietal, Duckhorn Vineyards now makes several elegant Merlot and distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings that showcase its premium vineyard sites. Duckhorn Vineyards has been named one of the “Top 100 Wineries” in the world eight times by Wine & Spirits, and the 2014 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyard was named the “2017 Wine of the Year,” topping Wine Spectator’s annual list of the world’s “Top 100 Wines.”
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.