The Wine Born from a Kitchen Table Argument

For nearly three decades, the answer was no. Gathered around the kitchen table, founder Dan Duckhorn and winemaker Tom Rinaldi debated one question: should Duckhorn make a blended cuvée? Dan’s conviction held — Duckhorn would stand for varietal wines, and the depth of Napa Valley’s finest grapes would speak for themselves.

But great ideas have a way of waiting. In 2006, that conversation finally got its answer — and its name.

One of Duckhorn Vineyards’ most important wines almost didn’t happen at all.

Gathered around the kitchen table, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn sat with their founding winemaker, Tom Rinaldi, debating a question that would define the winery for decades: should they make a cuvée? A Bordeaux-inspired blend that wove together the complexity of Napa Valley’s finest varieties into a single, definitive wine?

Dan said no. His conviction was clear. Duckhorn would stand for varietal wines, for the singular expression of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that had drawn them to this valley in the first place. To blend felt like a departure, a dilution of identity. The discussion was passionate, the kind only people who truly care about wine and about each other can have.

They chose the varietal path. And for nearly three decades, that choice held.

But great ideas have a way of waiting. In 2006, Duckhorn finally returned to that kitchen table conversation and gave it a name. The Discussion was born.

Named in honor of that original debate, The Discussion is Duckhorn Vineyards’ pinnacle red blend: a Napa Valley wine built on the timeless union of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, drawn from diverse vineyards across the valley. Every lot is hand-harvested, fermented separately, and aged in individual barrels before being assembled at the blending table where the whole production team gathers together.

Not locked away in a lab, but tasting and debating as a group, just as the Duckhorns once did around their kitchen table.

The 2022 vintage is the latest chapter in that ongoing conversation. A growing season of generous rainfall and warm, steady weather gave the vines excellent canopies and a generous crop. Harvest ran a full eleven weeks, delivering wines of excellent concentration, supple tannins, lovely finesse and dynamic acidity. The resulting blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot was aged 24 months in barrel, beginning in new French oak before transitioning to neutral barrels for further refinement.

In the glass, the 2022 Discussion opens with captivating aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate and toasted hazelnut, with the delicate allure of crushed rose petals. On the palate, layers of black plum and Mission fig unfold alongside cocoa nibs and warm baking spices. A plush, juicy texture gives way to luxurious, silky tannins. Elegant yet powerful, it is a wine of remarkable depth and sophistication.

Fitting, then, that a new tradition has grown up around its release.

For eleven years, the arrival of a new vintage of The Discussion has been celebrated with our annual Derby Party. What began as a simple gathering of friends and colleagues who wanted an excuse to open a great bottle on one of sport’s most ceremonious days has grown into one of our most beloved rituals. This year, as Duckhorn Vineyards marks its 50th anniversary, the party takes on new meaning: a moment for The Duckhorn Collection family to pause together, raise a glass, and remember that the best wines and the best traditions often start with a lively argument around a table.

Fifty years of Duckhorn. Fifty stories. And one discussion that started it all.

Pour a glass. Have a discussion.