Winemaker Notes

This lush and alluring Pinot Noir draws you in with aromas of black cherry, wild strawberry, red currant, black tea and sage, as well as rustic hints of earthy forest floor. On the palate, the generous ripe berry flavors are framed by bright, balanced acidity and refined tannins that carry the wine to a long, silky finish.

About Decoy Winery

Since the inaugural vintage of our Decoy Napa Valley Red Wine more than a quarter century ago, Decoy has taken an important place in the Duckhorn Portfolio of wines. With a reputation for delivering great quality at a remarkable price, Decoy has established a loyal following for its distinctive style, which emphasizes ready-upon-release wines that are capable of expressing their full charm and complexity in their youth. Building on this foundation, Decoy has evolved from being a single wine that supported the Duckhorn Vineyards brand to being a renowned winery in its own right. Today, in addition to the Decoy Red, the Decoy lineup includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc—all of which are Sonoma County appellation-designated and highlight Decoy’s commitment to producing attractively priced wines made from exceptional vineyard sources.

1985 The first Decoy Red Blend is made at Duckhorn Vineyards. This exceptional wine quickly establishes a loyal following for its great quality, remarkable price, and its distinctive style, which expresses its full charm and complexity in its youth.

2007 Decoy unveils a new label featuring a decoy carved by Richard “Fresh-Air Dick” Janson (1872–1951) during the 1930s. Janson was a premier carver whose decoys are the most recognizable of all Pacific Coast carvings. Artist Michael Allard of Zimbabwe created a painting of this Pintail duck from the original carving. While still incorporating key elements of the original packaging—most notably the Decoy carving artwork—the new design offers a warmer, more premium aesthetic.

2008 Decoy evolves from being a single, second-label wine supporting the Duckhorn Vineyards brand to being its own focused winery, with the creation of an expanded portfolio of wines that, in addition to the Decoy Red Blend, includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir. Grapes for the enhanced Decoy lineup come from a mix of Estate vineyards and top independent growers.

2009 We add two incredible white wines, a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, to our Decoy portfolio.

2012 After several years of working with its sought-after grapes, we acquire the renowned Ridgeline Vineyard in the Alexander Valley appellation—Sonoma County’s best region for growing Bordeaux varietals. Located on Oak Mountain, Ridgeline Vineyard is a steep mountainside vineyard with elevations ranging from 100 to nearly 2,000 feet. This coveted fruit is used for our Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon, Decoy Merlot and flagship Decoy Red Wine.