Review: Wines of Decoy, 2025 Releases

Decoy is famous as Duckhorn’s second label, and it’s easy to see the connection, as even the Decoy labels stick close to home, complete with duck-themed branding. Recently we received a set of five wines from Decoy’s recent releases, ranging from its entry-level California bottlings to more upscale (though still very affordable) bottlings denoted as “Limited” and featuring black labels.

Here’s a rundown on the full quintet.

NV Decoy Brut Rose California – A somewhat orange-hued rose, this mix of pinot noir and chardonnay lacks real character, coming across mainly as yeasty and doughy — and rather bitter as it develops on the palate. Secondary notes of graham crackers and toasted marshmallows eventually evoke a clear s’mores note, with a finish that reaches into floral territory. Alas, it’s initially drying on the finish, leaving behind an essence of cotton bales and twine, but is paradoxically later melded with a somewhat sickly almond-driven sweetness. Odd and scattered, you can do better in the world of Cali sparklers. B- / $30

2021 Decoy Chardonnay Limited Sonoma Coast – Easily the best wine in this lineup, this coastal chardonnay showcases a deftly balanced collection of flavors that start with almonds and gooseberries and move gently into a more lemon-driven midpalate, making its way toward a finish that evokes lime leaf and some sesame. Soothing and briskly acidic despite ample layers of vanilla throughout, it’s a well-balanced experience from start to finish. A- / $30

2021 Decoy Pinot Noir California – Beefy and indistinct, this evokes pinot noir grapes grown in very warm weather, stripped largely of their underlying fruitiness and devoid of acidity. What’s left behind hits you with flavors of walnut shells, anise, and crushed graphite, though the finish finds a little room for some extracted raspberry and blackberry notes. Alas, they’re never overly distinct and they don’t do much at all to get around the wine’s flabby, earth-centric attack. B- / $25

2021 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon California – A mutt of a cab drawn from all parts of California, and fairly anonymous for the most part, this wine has its pedal down on the sweet stuff, with notes of jammy blackberries dominating right out of the gate. Bittersweet chocolate notes build from there, furthering the dessert-like agenda, with a finish that reaches into gentle notes of licorice, albeit laced throughout with vanilla. A rather one-note experience, but OK for a cheap pre-dinner glass. B- / $25

2022 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Paso Robles – Very much a fruit bomb, this reserve bottling kicks things off with brambly blackberries before delving into darker territory — charred marshmallows, backed up by notes of pruny raisins and dried cherries. A chocolate-laced currant quality threatens to wash the finish out with sweetness, but some late-game acidity pulls it back from the brink. It’s still quite the bruiser, and I’d let this linger in the cellar for a few years before opening. B+ / $30

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