Tasting Report: Wines of Decoy and Greenwing, 2026 Releases

Duckhorn. Decoy. Migration. Paraduxx. Canvasback. Calera. Chances are, if your wine preferences migrate toward west coast of the United States, you’ve crossed paths with one or more from this well-known flock of award-winning wines. Now there’s Featherweight, a low-calorie, low-alcohol entry into the Decoy family, looking to keep taste afloat. Christopher reviewed a few Decoys earlier in 2025, and rarely did they run afoul of expectation. Today, we are building on that foundation with a look at newer offerings, as well as revisiting others. Let’s see if the brand still has its ducks in a row for 2026.

2024 Greenwing Pinot Noir Willamette Valley – Opening with aromas of dark cherry and dried cranberry, this pinot leans immediately into an autumnal mood. As it settles, notes of raspberry and vanilla add youthful ripeness. The raspberry dominates on the palate, accompanied by mild baking spice, and lingers on a longer-than-anticipated finish. In this case, it’s more of a feature than a bug in the system. Fresh acidity keeps everything focused, with silky tannins providing structure without changing the experience into a dull profile of predictability. It delivers enough personality to stay interesting while remaining approachable enough to revisit without any regret. A- / $20

2023 Decoy Chardonnay California – This Chardonnay takes a sideways approach, easing in with toasted almond and pear before pivoting into a citrus core that takes the driver’s seat and doesn’t really let up. Lemon and honeysuckle drive the clean and focused palate, while the finish wanders off toward green apple and honeysuckle. Vanilla is present throughout, but it’s kept on a short leash by sharp acidity, refusing to allow this wine to get complacent. The result is brisk without being severe, layered without becoming heavy, and engaging from start to finish. It’s layered, relentless and works favorably with a dish of spicy Thai noodles. A- / $20

2022 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Paso Robles – Blackberry right up front, leaving very little room for much else. From there, it dives into deeper shades of nutmeg and a hint of cola before dark chocolate and a streak of herbs attempt a mild takeover against the dark fruit. To its credit, the berry core regains control and restores balance before things drift too far into cloying excess. It lands drier than the opening act would suggest, which helps keep it aligned to a recognizable frame with lingering tannins. It’s right at home with something off the grill, with smoke meeting sweetness in a mutually beneficial arrangement. A- / $30

2023 Decoy Featherweight Chardonnay California – Walking a fine line between exuberant and excessive, this is an approachable expression of Chardonnay that checks off most of the appropriate boxes and stops short of just tipping over the line. It’s built to please and largely succeeds, delivering pear and vanilla cream, with sharp notes of orange slices and red apple providing needed acidity toward the finish. This isn’t a solo sipper, as the minerality on the finish is rather sharp. But bringing to the dinner table and pairing it with roast chicken or pasta in a heavy cream sauce and the mineral snap becomes an asset, slicing through the heaviness and letting the fruit show its best side. B+ / $15

2022 Decoy Pinot Noir California – This equal opportunity, all-California Pinot Noir presents with layers of red and black cherry at the onset, followed by boysenberry and red currant, with violets and roses for a final aromatic effect over time. Subtle oak notes, anise and burnt toast make a polite appearances on the palate but never really elevate the noise level or add to the conversation. Nothing here lunges for profundity, and frankly, the restraint works in its favor. It has the script memorized: be pleasant and versatile, be poured again. Compared to the 2021 vintage, this is better assembled. Not revolutionary. But reliably, appreciably better. B+ / $25

2023 Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley – Aromas of blackberry, clove, and pepper are well defined on the first approach, and set a consistent tone for what’s to come. The blackberry remains the anchor on the palate, but it is eventually complemented by a trio of leather, clove, and rosemary. With a little time in the glass, the wine broadens slightly, revealing a restrained note of dark chocolate that becomes more apparent as the finish fades. The structure is balanced, with enough acidity and tannin to keep from feeling heavy while still providing shape. It can certainly be enjoyed on its own, but it shows improved dimension when paired with a dish on the savory side. B+ / $20

2023 Decoy Featherweight Cabernet Sauvignon California – Unexpectedly substantial for a wine diminished in caloric count, this wine arrives with more heft than advertised. Aggressive notes of black cherry and raspberry verge on punchy without tipping into syrup territory. Give it a few minutes in the glass and it begins to sort itself out: tannins recede slightly and a blackberry begins to take shape. There’s a reprise of the black cherry note on the finish, tempered over time by gentle baking spice and toasted oak. There’s enough movement from start to finish to capture attention and, at this price, earns its place as a solid value grab that slightly exceeds expectations. B / $15

2024 Decoy Featherweight Sauvignon Blanc California – It steps lightly at just 9% ABV, offering a breezier take on a familiar favorite. Crafted from the same fruit as the standard Sauvignon Blanc but gently dialed back through alcohol reduction, it manages to hold its footing without sacrificing personality. The whole affair leans lively, full of white nectarine, yellow apple and a faint touch of orange blossom. With time, there’s also a bit of grapefruit cutting through midpalate. It’s approachable and at times hard to believe this is low-cal and low-alcohol. B / $15

2022 Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon California – This equal opportunity, all-California Cabernet opens with a heaping scoop of blackberry jam and keeps its foot firmly on the accelerator. Bittersweet chocolate follows close behind, clearly committed to the dessert-adjacent lifestyle, while vanilla threads through everything. A faint note of licorice on the finish adds just enough variation to suggest the idea of complexity. Is it nuanced? Not especially. Is it trying to be? Also not especially. However, as a budget-friendly, weeknight dinner pour, it asks for very little and delivers as advertised: it gets the job done with enthusiasm, albeit a bit sweetly. B / $20

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