2018 Duckhorn Vineyards The Discussion

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 92.4 points

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  12/3/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Full-bodied and best to enjoy this with a Wagyu Tomahawk at this early age of this big wine, otherwise I would wait 5 to 10 more years before opening the next bottle.
  
  56% Cab, 40% Merlot, 3% CF, 1% PV. Aged a total of 24 months in barrel, of which 18 months in new French oak followed by 6 months in neutral barrels.
  
  Nose: Mix of black cherries with red currants, some nuts and fig too.
  Mouthfeel: Silky tannins, still very much present and structured too. Body is medium-full bodied.
  Acidity: Medium+ and provides the "lift" in this wine. Very juicy.
  
  Finish: Medium to long length, with licorice and herbs coming through. Pencil shavings on the back-palate too.
  
  Before ever crafting their first vintage of this Discussion...
  Almost four decades ago, the Duckhorns and their winemaker had a passionate discussion at the kitchen table. Though they debated making a cuvée, they chose to focus on varietal wines.
  
  The Discussion represents the pinnacle of the Duckhorn Vineyards portfolio and the ongoing dialogue that defines great winemaking! Crafted from Duckhorn's finest blocks and barrels of Estate fruit, the 2018 vintage of The Discussion is rich, and complex.
  
  2018 offered near picture-perfect growing conditions, with mild spring and summer weather, and no significant heat events.
  
  The excellent growing conditions naturally resulted in a slightly larger than average crop for red Bordeaux varieties, with fully lignified seeds at low sugars levels. With temperate weather throughout fall, they were able to pick each block at optimal ripeness.
  
  Thanks brother Chien for sharing this at Jl Bangkung, KL, along with AK, ET and myself.
  
  Jalan Bangkung, KL, Malaysia
  3rd Dec 2023

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  11/13/2023 - kostaslonis wrote:

  Duckhorn Tasting, Oenocosmos (Drakoulis meat, Kolonaki): Drought vintage, 1st vintage in 2006, 3 Palms Vineyard and 6 other plots.
  90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, 18 months in new French oak, vinified separately in neutral oak
  -/-
  Big and ripe, black fruit, ripe to overripe fruit, black fruit liqueur, with time the wine opens up and gets riper, the oak is more pronounced, liqueur notes, thick oak frame, incense, sweet notes, whole spice, black pepper, clove, cinnamon.
  Palate feels much smoother at first, juicy texture, fresh ripe black fruit, thick oak profile, walnut liqueur, clove, cinnamon, alcohol heat, full body, angry tannins, long finish.
  Extreme heat, very Bourbon-like heat, the oak feels fresh, almost plank-like, very youthful overall. Will it ever calm down? Who knows?

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  11/26/2022 - BigBoy_Sonoma Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Bluefruit, Blackfruit, cedar, hints of vanilla, tobacco, herbal notes, layer complexity, tea, balanced tannins. A

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  11/5/2022 - chatters wrote:

  Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (The Landmark, London): Cream, ripe black fruit, sweet spice, perfumed top notes. Tight tannins, juicy, a bit too much for me but this is the best offering from Duckhorn that I've tasted here.

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  11/2/2022 - WindFlyer Likes this wine: 92 Points

  a visit to Duckhorn and Paraduxx (Napa Valley): bonus pour of bordeaux blend… may need some time still.
  
  deep colour in the glass and appreciable body. the nose is elegant with cassis, red currant, accented by damask rose petals, bay leaf, clove and graphite. it is velvety and round in the mouth with very fine tannins. the well-concentrated flavours are still fully primary and make the wine very drinkable now… but time in the glass hints at the development still to come. upside potential here.
  
  the blend checks in at 56% CS, 40% Merlot, 3% Cab Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, sourced from various Estate vineyards across the valley; it spent eighteen months in new oak, and then six more in used barrels; AbV is 14.5% (seems to be the Duckhorn target!).

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