Brad Jensen

9.4

Revisiting this on the day we create our first family business, tasting wine from our honeymoon. Couldn’t tell that this wine is 7 years old, with a heavily perfumed nose of artificial carpet, blood orange, and velvet, with hints of pepper and lush dark red fruits to the edges. Color gives away no age either, with a deep rose color and medium body. The tannins remain largely intact on the palate, still grabbing the tip of the tongue, but there’s just a hint of age showing at the periphery, with some butterscotch and caramel notes starting to show integrated well with the loooong blackberry and black plum compote dominating the primary palate, with greater pepper, vanilla, a little coca and earthy notes incorporated within. This ages well, no question. — 4 days ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Crisp, bright orange color, medium acidity and bubbles, tart apple flavor, best if served chilled. — a year ago

Marc Ouellette

9.4

What a fantastic day at Goldeneye Vineyard today! A perfect tasting experience!! — 2 years ago

Bonnie Chu

9.1

With Japanese grouper, horse mackerel, goldeneye snapper — 5 years ago

Shivu Sharma

9.2

Incredibly well balanced pinot. Light bodied but packs a punch. Delicious interplay of earthy and red fruit notes with hints of spice — 6 years ago

Sarah Stierch

Food & Wine Editor Sonoma Valley Sun

8.9

Light vin gris with raspberry notes lending a night tartness to it. Not as mind blowing as I had hoped but I love Goldeneye wine. — 8 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.2

The Migration label first appeared in 2001 as the second label of Goldeneye, both under the Duckhorn masthead, first focusing on Pinot Noir and later adding Chardonnay. Like Paraduxx to Duckhorn, it is no longer a second label, but a winery unto itself. In 2008 Migration, and by extension, Duckhorn, produced its first Chardonnay. In 2009 they produced their first Chardonnay from the legendary Charles Heintz Vineyard. The Charles Heintz Vineyard is located just outside of the town of Occidental where Charlie’s family has farmed the land for over 100 years. Two ridges in, and only about 8 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the vineyard is situated in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA. Heintz has become one of the most famous Chardonnay sites in California, with notable producers including Ceritas, DuMol, Freeman, Flowers, L'Angevin, Kosta Browne, Littorai, Migration/Duckhorn, Moone-Tsai, Pierson Meyer, and Williams Selyem. With its classic Goldridge sandy loam soils, and located just above the fog line, the vineyard receives abundant sunshine and cool ocean breezes. Super mellow Chardonnay, with candied orchard fruit, honeysuckle, wet stone, and some secondary hazelnut, with just a flutter of mushroom in the background. — 9 years ago

Peter Herschkorn

9.1

Smooth, tasty and does not have any after taste leaving you to want to take the next sip. — 5 days ago

with Kathia

Turd Ferguson

9.3

Bigger style Pinot. Robust. Mildly stewed fruit and chocolatey but kept just in check. Hardly identifiable as AV Pinot Noir but very pretty nonetheless. Pair with charcoal grilled lamb chops and yayo. — 7 months ago

Marc Ouellette

10

Magnificent legs and a translucent ruby red hue that captures the “Confluence” of the Anderson Valley at its best! The fragrance enhances this Pinot Noir with fresh notes of raspberries, ripened black cherries, red currant and wet, soft shale. On the palette, sweet red raspberries followed by sugared black cherries, oak and subtle spices. The finish comes with some effervescence on the tongue with velvety tannins and a well-balanced finish! — 2 years ago

Bill Mowry

9.4

Red currant, cherry, little cinnamon. Fantastic pair with Thanksgiving Turkey dinner. — 5 years ago

with Lou and Amelia

Antra Stabler

9.6

On par with goldeneye. But more expensive (30%) — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.0

Pillow Rd. Vineyard is situated to the southwest of Sebastopol, not far from the southern tip of the Russian River Valley, and planted to two acres of Chardonnay and seven acres of Pinot Noir. Clones 777, 115, and Pommard made up the first plantings in 2000, with Calera and Swan being added later (replacing Gravenstein apple trees). The vineyard has courted her fair share of suitors, originally being one of Duckhorn’s sources for its Goldeneye Pinot Noir. The first commercial vintage under the Pillow Rd. label was 2006. I’m not sure whether Ladera had entered the scene at that point, but it was definitely in time for their release of the 2009 vintage. In 2016 PlumpJack Group acquired Ladera’s Howell Mountain vineyard and winemaking facility, and while it appears the Pillow Rd. Vineyard wasn’t included in that sale, I haven’t seen anything that spells that out explicitly. Regardless, what is certain is that Napa Cab makers can’t quit this Russian River Pinot vineyard. It had some kinks to work out, but ultimately it’s built for pleasure and not complexity, and it eventually got there. Cherry cola, sassafras, baking spice, butterscotch, and just enough of a citrus edge to keep from losing its balance. — 8 years ago

John W

8.9

Plum coloration. Some translucency. On the nose, cola, sage, peppercorn. On the palate, cherry, cranberry, and blood orange. — 11 days ago

John W

9.0

Rose - pale salmon coloration. Apricot, citrus, brioche. On the palate, strawberry, cherry, creamy texture and bright finish. — 11 days ago

Ericsson

9.2

What do they say? Eat the turkey, drink the duck… Works for me! — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Masters of merlot dinner at Duckhorn with the chefs from San Francisco Mediterranean restaurant Dalida.

WINES
2019 Goldeneye Anderson valley Brut
2021 Duckhorn Napa Valley Chardonnay
2019 Duckhorn merlot-Stout vin Howell mt
2019 Duckhorn merlot - Hyde vineyard
2015 Duckhorn Three Palm merlot
2019 The Discussion

FOOD
California Tahdig-Hamachi/uni/cucumbers over crispy rice.
Su Borek - pasta in spinach and comte cheese sauce.
12 hour lamb shoulder and mustard greens.
Rose Geranium Pavlova dessert — 3 years ago

with Brenda

Thomas Thompson

8.9

Lemon curd, honey, pear, and hay. Tart and dry. Medium acid. — 5 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.1

Glouglou indeed! Fresh strawberries and just the right amount of brett.

Updating because of a coincidence too fortuitous not to document/share: I just learned that my current boss/winemaker for Goldeneye was herself a harvest intern at Domaine Binner back in ‘14 and has lots of great anecdotes... — 7 years ago

with Maura

Conrad Byer

9.0

Went wonderful with crab wontons at Thanksgiving! — 10 years ago

with Nandi