Napa Valley pioneer Dan Duckhorn dies aged 87
Daniel J. Duckhorn, the co-founder of California wine company The Duckhorn Portfolio died on 25 February.
Duckhorn, co-founder of The Duckhorn Portfolio and a leading figure in the development of luxury New World Merlot, died peacefully of congestive heart failure on 25 February, according to his wife, Nancy Andrus Duckhorn.
A native of Northern California, Duckhorn helped reshape the US wine industry by championing Merlot as a premium standalone varietal at a time when it was more commonly used as a blending grape.
He co-founded Duckhorn Vineyards in 1976 with his then wife, Margaret Duckhorn. Their inaugural vintage, produced in 1978, included Napa Valley Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The first harvest yielded 800 cases each of Three Palms Vineyard Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
During the late 1970s, many wineries in Napa Valley treated Merlot primarily as a supporting grape. Duckhorn, inspired by travels to France’s right bank regions such as Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, believed the variety was underappreciated in North America. He argued that shifting American tastes were moving away from mass-produced “jug” wines towards higher-quality varietals, and positioned Merlot at the centre of that change.
“It was a great year. We could have made wine out of walnuts,” he later said of the 1978 vintage.
Vineyard consulting
Duckhorn was born and raised in Northern California and earned both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1962. After holding management roles in shipping, computing and consulting firms, he moved to Napa Valley in 1971 to become president of Vineyard Consulting Corporation.
There, he developed expertise in vineyard site assessment and grape selection, adopting new clones and rootstocks and planting in locations he considered better suited to premium wine production. His approach reflected a broader push in California towards quality and innovation in winemaking.
From the late 1980s onwards, he oversaw a period of steady expansion, broadening the estate programme and diversifying The Duckhorn Portfolio into new grape varieties and appellations.
The company changed hands in 2007 when it was sold to GI Partners, and again in 2016 when TSG Consumer Partners acquired it. Duckhorn remained involved as founder and chairman. In March 2021, The Duckhorn Portfolio became the first US wine company in nearly two decades to go public, with Duckhorn marking the occasion by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
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Mr Merlot
He was dubbed ‘Mr Merlot’ by the late wine writer Frank Prial of The New York Times, and was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern American winemaking.
Over his career, he served on the boards of the Wine Institute, the American Vintners Association and Family Winemakers of California. He was also a past president of the Napa Valley Vintners and helped establish the Premiere Napa Valley Trade Barrel Auction.
In 2005, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Oenology degree by Johnson & Wales University, and was later recognised as a Wine Industry Pioneer by the University of California, Davis.
Great visionary
Paying tribute, The Duckhorn Portfolio’s chief operating officer, Zach Rasmuson, described him as “one of the great visionaries of the modern winemaking era”, adding that his legacy would be “rightfully entwined with exceptional Merlot”.
Rasmuson added: “He was a pioneer in so many other ways that impacted California’s wine business, from recognizing the promise of new appellations to championing innovation. When the history of California winemaking is finally written, Dan Duckhorn will be one of its great names. He was an inspiration and will be greatly missed.”
Doug Shafer, former owner of Shafer Vineyards and a longtime friend, said Mr Duckhorn had played “an outsized role in bringing the world to the Napa Valley and the Valley to the world”.
He said: “Dan had a remarkable and historic influence on the Napa Valley we know today. He was the force in the winery’s growth, as Duckhorn became one of the most well-known, respected, and admired wine brands throughout the world.
“Dan was noted for his philanthropy to both community and the wine industry, serving the Napa Valley Vintners as president in 1994 and spearheading the annual Premiere Napa Valley Barrel Auction, which fulfilled his personal goal of establishing a permanent home for the Association. Passionate and fun-loving, he also mentored the generation that followed with wisdom, enthusiasm, and joy.”
If there was ever a Mt. Rushmore of American wine, Duckhorn would deserve a place on it, added Shafer.
Duckhorn is survived by his wife, Nancy Andrus Duckhorn; three children, John, David and Kellie; a stepdaughter, Nicole Andrus; nine grandchildren; and two siblings.
Private services are planned. The family has suggested donations to the California Waterfowl Association in lieu of flowers.
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