The Thursday Tasting: Duckhorn, Goldeneye and Migration, Part 1: Migration Chardonnay RRV

I love my job! Last night our dear friend Sara from Duckhorn dropped by to give us a sneak preview of the Duckhorn, Goldeneye and Migration lineup for the 2009 and 2010 vintages. In a word: stunning.  Unfortunately, the wines haven’t been released yet but stay tuned as I will let you know as they become available. I will be talking about the wines over the next few days as I feel the wines all deserve individual attention.

First, let’s talk about their 2010 RRV Chardonnay “Migration”. The winemaking team’s goal for this wine was to to create a “beautiful expression of Chardonnay” and they have hit the proverbial nail on the head. Primarily Dutton Ranch fruit, this wine is exciting without being cluttered or overwhelming. Though barrel fermented in 100% new French oak the wine is not a butter bomb but a well crafted, French style Chardonnay. Plenty of citrus and stone fruit notes layered with creamy custard flavors along with the mineral expression associated with the distinctive Russian River appellation. The finish is incredibly long for a Chardonnay, lasting almost a full minute.  I gave the wine a 94+ and I believe the juice will continue to develop and even improve in the bottle over the next year.  -Jeff

Purchase this wine at Porthos!

Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Monitor Ledge 2008 – 96 Points

This deliciously well ballanced Cabernet Sauvignon is built-to-last for 5 – 7 years depending upon personal tastes but so lithe on the palate collectors that pop the cork earlier are in for a thrill ride. Dark and inky, this Cabernet reminds me of a renowned $100+ second growth Bordeaux, exquisitely layered with a velvety smooth, well-integrated structure, round tannins, dense texture, and a long lingering finish that lasts a full 30 seconds. The flavors are elegant with blackberry, currant, semi-sweet chocolate and a savory component of lightly roasted walnuts combined with a hint of tobacco. This wine is delicious to enjoy NOW with a big steak but continue to evolve for anyone patient enough to wait. This our favorite Duckhorn’s 100% Cabernet to date and will peak in flavors and balance around 2015 in our opinion.

Buy this wine at Porthos.

Produced by Duckhorn Wine Company.

New Goldeneye Release.

Goldeneye 2006

We were fortunate to sample Duckhorn’s new Goldeneye (2006) and Migration (2007) Pinot Noir last week. Winemaker Zach Rasmuson and his team are clearly hitting their stride rising into the serious collector Pinot stratus with this vintage of Goldeneye. I’m excited about the new 2006 release (March) because I believe Rasmussen has now achieved the much-talked-about balance between enjoyable bright fruit now vs. ageworthiness. In the past, some of the Goldeneye releases were not as plush and rich in their youth as I would prefer. Vintages such as 2003 and 2004 were relatively austere in my opinion but did age into glorious Pinot Noir 4 – 5 years later. This new 2006 vintage is impressive now and a guaranteed thrill ride paired with the right menus (e.g. grilled Salmon, Coq au vin, creamy French cheeses) right now, particularly if you decant for ½ hour. I plan to stock away several bottles of this vintage into my cellar to track the progress over the next 6 years.

Migration is also a thrill ride, particularly because I’ve rarely experienced a more serious Pinot Noir available for less than $40. The Pinot grape is so finicky that I rarely find one worthy of a rating over 92 points under the $40 threshold. This new 2007 Migration is a BIG exception to that rule as we rated it a team 93 now and my hunch is it will evolve into a wine worthy of 93 – 94 points in by 2011. Most collectors don’t think about aging any red wines under $50 but this Migration will benefit from a year or two in your cellar.

Duckhorn’s Best Kept “Secret” Cabernet

We love this wine because the undiscovered “secret” is that Duckhorn produces  some of Napa’s finest bold Cabernet fruit crafted in a BIG, age-worthy style reminiscent of Silver Oak’s finest vintages. Duckhorn’s Estate Cabernet is one of the finest, food-friendly elite Cabernets from Napa. I recently sat down with the winery and enjoyed a bottle of this prized juice along side grilled mushrooms and Kobe beef. It was an out-of-body experience!
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Best Goldeneye I’ve tasted!

This wine was recently rated 92 points by the Wine Spectator but believe me when I say this is the winery’s best yet for anyone that loves big, ripe red Pinot fruit as much as I do.

THE WINE INSIDERS “OUTSTANDING 93″ RATING: “Ever since sampling this wine in barrel with winemaker Zach Rasmuson last year, I knew this would be the ‘Best Yet’ Goldeneye! This is a delectable, full-bodied wine with a smooth mouth feel, fine tannin structure, lush texture and a lingering finish. The flavors are predominantly plum, black cherry, and strawberry with a hint of truffles and a hint of white pepper on the lingering finish. Age-worthy for a potential decade, I believe this sensational Pinot will peak in flavors and luscious texture between 2011 – 2012 but is a guaranteed thrilling for any Pinot-phile tonight (after decanting an hour).”

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