Wine Score
Grape Variety
California Pinot Noir
Internationally recognized for gorgeous, pure fruit combined with great elegance, California Pinot noir thrives among the state’s cooler, coastal zones. Characterized by eclectic flavors and aromas of strawberry, black cherry, plum and potpourri with notes of forest floor, mushroom or black tea, the best California Pinot noir boast a supple texture and good acidity, giving them the ability to improve with age.
Credited with the beginning of Pinot noir’s glory in California, two growers, Joe Rochioli and Joseph Swan in the late 1960s independently planted Pinot noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Today Sonoma County remains the leading producer of Pinot noir in the state, and Pinot noir is the leading red grape in the county, achieving its highest potential, in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast.
Californian Wine
California is the largest and most important wine region in the USA. It accounts for the southern two-thirds (850 miles or 1370 kilometers) of the country’s west coast. (Oregon and Washington make up the rest.) The state also spans almost ten degrees of latitude. With mountains, valleys, plains and plateaux, California’s topography is as complex as its climate, offering winegrowers a bewildering choice of terroir.
Californian wines only rose to global renown in the past few decades (notably after the Paris Judgment of 1976). However the state’s viticultural history dates back more than 200 years. European vines were first planted here in the 18th Century, as settlers and missionaries made their way up and down the west coast. They brought with them the Mission grape – the vinifera variety also instrumental in establishing viniculture in Central and South America. Although very few Mission vines are to be found in California today, it remains a cornerstone of Californian wine.
DUCKHORN VINEYARDS
Founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting classic Napa Valley wines for 40 years. This winemaking tradition has grown to include seven Estate vineyards, located throughout the microclimates of the Napa Valley. Focused on quality and consistency, these vineyards are an essential element in making wines of distinction. Pioneering Merlot as a premium varietal, Duckhorn Vineyards now makes several elegant Merlot and distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings that showcase its vineyard sites. Duckhorn Vineyards has been named one of the “Top 100 Wineries” in the world seven times by Wine & Spirits, and the 2014 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyard was named the “2017 Wine of the Year,” by Wine Spectator. The Duckhorn Vineyards winemaking program is led by acclaimed Winemaker Renee Ary. Our iconic Estate House in St. Helena welcomes guests by-appointment to taste our world-class Napa Valley wines and to enjoy the wrap-around veranda.
