You may be familiar with the Decoy label, which has been around since 1985. Affordable and well-produced wines, they have earned a loyal following and are certainly ubiquitous. Now they have launched Decoy Limited, a step up from the Decoy wines, still reasonably priced but with a big bump in quality, though less ubiquitous, hence the “limited” addition. This inaugural vintage of Decoy Limited shows that they are moving in the right direction. This blend of merlot, with zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon added in, and a touch of tempranillo, is a very comprehensive wine combining elements of acidity, tannic structure and good fruit. There are notes of boysenberry, black cherry, blueberry, and raspberry, as you would expect, but also more subtle black plum, sandalwood, vanilla and black pepper. Aged just 14 months in partial new French oak means the oak supports the fruit quite well. Decoy Limited is landing in stores everywhere and if you’re a fan of Decoy, the Limited is very enticing.
ORIGIN: Napa Valley
PRICE: $30 /750 ml
SCORE: 91 POINTS