June 4, 2024
Gold, 92 pts – 2022 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
Silver – 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
Silver – 2022 Zinfandel Bacigalupi Vineyards
May 21, 2024
Wine of the Week – 2023 Rosé of Pinot Noir Sonoma County
“…rosé is complex, layered with notes of apple, raspberry, and strawberry. It has a great quench of flavors, riding on crisp acid, and it’s impressive.”
April 4, 2024
Gold, 94 pts – 2022 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
Gold, 94 pts – 2022 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
Gold, 91 pts – 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
February/March 2024 Buying Guide
96 pts, Cellar Selection – 2022 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards Pinot Noir
93 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Sonoma County
92 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
88 pts – 2022 Chardonnay Petaluma Gap
September 4, 2023
94 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
93 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Marshall Ranch
92 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Fay’s Reserve
92 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
91 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
February 28, 2023
92 pts – 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
92 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
92 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
August 8, 2023
Like Albert Einstein, who said “imagination is more important than knowledge,” Matt Duffy champions creativity.
“I think to produce a good red blend, you have to have a good imagination,” said Duffy, co-vintner and winemaker of Kenwood’s Vaughn Duffy Wines.
Duffy’s imagination has served him well. He crafted our wine of the week winner — the Vaughn Duffy, 2019 Old River Red, North Coast Red Wine, 14.5%, $35, 4.5 stars. It’s red with a big personality, bold fruit flavors, and a silky texture. It has generous aromas and flavors of cherry and cranberry, with an intriguing streak of black raspberry from start to finish.
April 12, 2023
An unexpected phone call left Matt Duffy in a state of shock last week. When he awoke the next morning, he was even more stunned to discover it hadn’t been a dream.
At the 11th annual contest last week, Vaughn Duffy Wines, 2021 Pinot Noir, Bacigalupi Vineyards, Russian River Valley beat out nearly 1,200 wines to win the Best of the Best award, the competition’s highest honor. The stellar pinot noir also garnered Best of Show Red and Best of Sonoma County awards.
April 11, 2023
Best of the Best – 2021 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
Best of Show Red – 2021 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
Best of Sonoma County – 2021 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
99 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
Best of Class – 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Double Gold – 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
98 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Double Gold – 2021 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
97 pts – 2021 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
January 20, 2023
Double Gold – 2021 Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap
Double Gold – 2021 Pinot Noir Bacigalupi Vineyards
Feb 27, 2022
Sara Vaughn and Matt Duffy weren’t born into wine. Matt went down the rabbit hole for wine production after working his first harvest in the Sierra Foothills. He followed that up with an internship at Siduri, an immersion into top quality Pinot Noir from all over the West Coast. He received a crash course in winemaking at Vinify, a Santa Rosa custom crush business. All the way Sara supported his passion for wine. In 2009 the couple took the plunge and made two barrels of their own Pinot Noir. The Vaughn Duffy label was launched.
June 2, 2021
90 pts – Vibrant and refreshing, with peach and watermelon flavors that finish on a snappy accent.
May 11, 2021
93 pts – 2018 Pinot Noir Suacci Vineyard
92 pts – 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma County
90 pts – 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
April 3, 2021
Best of Class – 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Gold Medal – 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
Silver Medal – 2018 Old River Red Blend North Coast
November 15, 2020
90 pts – 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley Reserve
90 pts – 2019 Rosé of Carignane Mendocino County
89 pts – 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley
89 pts – 2018 Old River Red North Coast
November 15, 2019
93 pts – 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
93 pts – 2017 Pinot Noir Suacci Vineyard
92 pts – 2017 Pinot Noir Fay’s Reserve
92 pts – 2018 Chardonnay Russian River Valley
91 pts – 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
November 26, 2018
94 pts – 2017 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
93 pts – 2016 Suacci Vineyard Pinot Noir
October 7, 2016
93 pts – 2014 Pinot Noir Stori Vineyard
92 pts – 2014 Pinot Noir Suacci Vineyard
91 pts – 2015 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
April 30, 2015
91 pts – 2013 Pinot Noir Stori Vineyard
90 pts – 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
92 pts – 2014 Rosé of Pinot Noir
89 pts – 2013 Pinot Noir Suacci Vineyard
88 pts – 2013 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
Matt Duffy and his wife Sarah Vaughn make… one of California’s freshest rosés and a clean, floral Russian River Valley pinot noir. The newest addition is a savory, taut Russian River Valley sauvignon blanc from 40-year-old vines.
June 4, 2015
90 pts – 2013 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
One of the Year’s Best Pinot Noirs
92 pts – 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Hopkins River Ranch
One of the Year’s Best & Best Buy
91 pts – 2014 Rosé of Pinot Noir
Best Buy for 2015
May 23, 2014
Sonoma winemaker Matt Duffy’s pink wine is back in super shape, and a bargain considering its Sonoma Pinot base. It’s plusher and fruitier than in the past, full of brambly blackberry and peach, with a minty kick to finish.
May 31, 2012
A delicate, well-structured style that’s light in color, with snappy raspberry and wild berry flavors that are clean and refreshing, ending with notes of spice and wilted rose. Drink now through 2020. 49 cases made. – JL
December 27, 2011
Matt Duffy and Sara Vaughn love Pinot Noir almost as much as they love each other. In 2007 they gave up all the perks of city life (they still miss being able to see Giants games at a minute’s notice) to make Pinot Noir in Sonoma…
September 11, 2011
Matt Duffy found an edgy, impressive approach for his inaugural vintage from the stellar Suacci site. Refreshing, moss tinged and foresty, with dark mineral and appealing fruit – raspberry, bayberry, vibrant orange peel. A touch of whole-cluster spice adds a final, complex touch.