2023 Decoy - Zinfandel Sonoma (750ml)

Decoy was born from the Duckhorn family's Napa Valley legacy. Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Duckhorn Vineyards in 1976, becoming one of the first forty wineries in the valley, and built a reputation over decades as one of North America's premier producers. Decoy launched in 2008 as a way to extend that quality and expertise to a more accessible price point, and it has since grown from a single supporting label into a respected winery in its own right, with a lineup spanning Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and this Zinfandel.

The fruit for this wine comes primarily from Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, an area long recognized as one of California's premier sources for high-quality Zinfandel thanks to its warm days, cooling evening influence, and well-drained gravelly soils. The wine is blended with a small portion of Petite Sirah to add depth and structure, then aged for about a year in French oak, mostly neutral barrels with a smaller share of new wood, a combination meant to let the fruit's natural character take center stage rather than overwhelming it with oak.

The result is a deep, dark violet wine with aromas of wild blueberry, blackberry, and black cherry, layered with hints of chocolate, fennel, and violets. On the palate it delivers concentrated dark fruit and spice, framed by velvety, resolved tannins and lively acidity through a long finish. It pairs naturally with barbecued ribs, grilled sausage, or a hearty tomato-based pasta.