Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley (California) Merlot 2018

 This Merlot is made from grapes grown in the Napa Valley sub-regions of Carneros, Oak Knoll, Calistoga and Yountville.  It displays a dark ruby color and bright cherry aromas with a hint of chocolate and vanilla.  It is bright and lively in the mouth with black cherry, cranberry fruit with a hint of dried oregano.  It is medium-bodied with bright acidity and finishes with fine tannins.  Margaret and Dan Duckhorn established their eponymous winery in the Napa Valley in 1976 with a focus on — gasp! — Merlot.  They didn’t stop with Merlot.  In 1994 they purchased Rector Creek Vineyard in Yountville, which became the home of the Paraduxx winery with the purpose of producing Napa Valley blends.   In 1998 they added Stout Vineyards on Howell Mountain where they grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Grenache and Syrah.  In the early 1990s they became enamored with Pinot Noir which took them to the Anderson Valley in Mendocino where they created the much sought after Goldeneye Pinot Noir in 1996.  Since 2007 the Duckhorn wineries have been owned by two different private equity firms and in 2021 it became a publicly traded company.  CEO Alex Ryan who led the effort to go public has worked at the winery since before he went to California State University-Fresno to get a viticulture degree.  The Duckhorn Portfolio, Inc. (NAPA) is one of the few U.S. publicly-traded wine companies that produce and sell wine only, including Willamette Valley Vineyards, Vintage Wine Estates and The Chalone Wine Group.