Sunday, July 31, 2016

Review: Decoy 2014 Sonoma County Merlot

Decoy 2014 Sonoma County Merlot ($25) Decoy is a second label of Duckhorn, and as much disdain as I have for a lot of California Merlot, I think Duckhorn really knows what they're doing with this grape variety. While Duckhorn is based in Napa Valley, this wine is sourced from the generally cooler climates of Sonoma County and it's a lovely wine, showcasing Merlot's genial, velvety texture, freshness and gregarious personality. It has pretty violet aromas, blueberry, cherry and red currant fruit and the delicately spicy, coconut-flavored oak is really well-integrated and doesn't stand out too much. It's a great example of why you trust certain producers with a solid track record of working with particular varieties. Duckhorn does Merlot really well, and this is just one more notch on the Duckhorn bedpost. (91 Points)

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