Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Stand back and let this wine speak! The 2011 Duckhorn Vineyards The Discussion is a Bordeaux blend ready to make a statement. Deep and authoritative, the wine impressive black fruit and sweet oak flavors put it right there with Napa Valley's best wines ever. You will want to listen as you pour this wine into your stemware. (Tasted: April 22, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Editors' Choice.
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.