All too often, wineries try to appeal to the tastes and whims of consumers by crafting upward of a dozen or more varietals. The thought, it seems, is that if they create enough wines, each consumer is bound to find one he or she likes. What these wineries can boast about their quantity, however, doesn’t always translate to quality in the bottle. This isn’t so at Duckhorn Wine Company. Dan Duckhorn, with his wife, Margaret, founded Duckhorn Vineyards in 1976 with the sole quest to make excellent Merlot. What began as a mild obsession about the varietal, which wasn’t used for much other than blending at that time in Napa Valley, has turned the winery into one of the premium Merlot producers in the country. Since that original tunnel vision of Merlot, the Duckhorn family has added a few more varietals along with three other estate wineries under its company umbrella, each inspired by a similar passion to craft wines with excellence: Goldeneye, producer of cool-climate Anderson Valley Pinot Noir; Paraduxx, the proprietary red blend primarily composed of Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon; and, most recently, Migration, which focuses on cool-climate Pinot Noir as well as a Russian River Chardonnay to be released in spring 2010. Each of these four estates pursues quality over quantity, allowing the respective estate to develop an intimate knowledge of the strengths and complexities of the grapes and to produce their chosen wines with confidence and finesse.

From Goldeneye, our tasting panel liked the 2006 Pinot Noir harvested from the Gowan Creek Vineyard. Aromas of ripe raspberry and blackberry in the glass translate to a full fruit flavor on the palate, with tannins showing up at the mid-palate and pulling the flavor through to a nice, well-rounded finish. “It goes down easy like silky water,” one taster said, “but leaves a great kick at the end.” The Duckhorns originally created the Paraduxx label to give their winemakers the platform for exploring other varietals. In the 2006 Paraduxx, scents of clove, cinnamon, and pine waft from the glass, mingled with an element of deep cherry. This wine is well-structured, tasting first of red fruit and a dusting of cocoa, peaking at the mid-palate with a forceful rush of tannins, and filling out with a touch of creamy oak. The blend has a bold personality that pairs well with a gamut of food flavors.   Duckhorn Vineyards makes many Merlots, but we favor the Napa Valley Merlot for its price and variety. Sourced from several different Napa Valley vineyards, this wine is a great expression of the Valley’s flavor profiles. A beautiful ruby color, it displays layered aromas of currants and floral elements, with a great balance of fruit and spice and a dry, seasoned texture that goes down smoothly. For special occasions this season—or even just a weeknight that needs a celebratory note—consider one of these wines, or pick any one of the other excellent wines the Duckhorn Wine Company produces. You will not be disappointed.