Decoy California Merlot Wine 2021

Decoy California Merlot Wine 2021

Established more than 30 years ago by legendary vintners Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, our roots run deep at Decoy. This California Merlot showcases the elegance of Merlot and highlights the bold fruit flavors. Reflecting the character of each growing season and the diversity of our vineyard sources, Decoy has established itself as a wine of distinction. From vine to bottle, we craft our wines to the highest standards, only using grapes from exceptional vineyards.

Wine Profile

Production Notes
Blend Composition: 100% Merlot

Winemaker Notes
Beautifully lush and expressive, this alluring Merlot draws you in with aromas of black currant, black cherry, boysenberry and sweet baking spices. On the palate, it is plush and polished, with silky tannins carrying the luxurious dark berry, creamy mocha and bittersweet chocolate flavors to a long, supple finish.

Production
The growing season began with minimal winter rains and a mild spring. With drought conditions throughout California, we carefully tailored our vineyard practices to ensure balanced crop loads. With slightly elevated temperatures, budbreak at our North Coast vineyards was approximately two weeks ahead of the cooler Central Coast. As a result, our North Coast harvest concluded on October 15th, with our harvest on the Central Coast wrapping up on November 6th. In both regions, the berries and clusters were smaller than average, producing lower yields but deeply concentrated flavors, aromas and textures. Overall, the resulting wines are of exceptional quality, with lovely balance, excellent natural acidity and bright, juicy flavors.