Duckhorn 2023 "Three Palms Vineyard" Merlot Napa Valley

94 Points                               
New release of Duckhorn's Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, one of the finest reds in California. Limited.

Wine Spectator #1 Wine in the World 2017 (2014 vintage)

94 Points James Suckling:  "This relaxed, deep and well-composed wine is rich in black fruit and oak spices on smooth, melted tannins. One of the classic California merlots, it is full-bodied and generous in dark cherry, tobacco leaf, cedar and bay leaf flavors, with accents of dark chocolate. Grown in the warmer, northern end of Napa Valley. Drink now or hold."

94 Points Wine Enthusiast: "Fresh blue and black fruits, savory undertones, mixed herbs and spices, and graphite carry a compelling and mouthwatering Merlot from one of the region's most celebrated vineyards for the variety. Persistent with a lightly warming finish."

A sumptuous incarnation of Duckhorn's Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, this mouth-filling and age-worthy wine displays suppleness, balance and structure, with seamless integration between lush fruit and new French oak. The aroma offers layered elements of fresh baked cherry pie, red licorice, and vanilla bean. On the palate, juicy boysenberry and blackberry layers intermingle with notes of strawberry, cherry, orange rind, and cinnamon spice, accented by earth tones and subtle oak.

From the winery: Since our inaugural 1978 vintage, we have been proud to craft a vineyard-designate Duckhorn Merlot from the legendary Three Palms Vineyard. Named for its three iconic palm trees, this warm, up-valley vineyard features lean soils that cause the vines to send their roots deep in search of nutrients, yielding a profoundly intense and age-worthy wine with complex fruit and mineral layers. As a testament to its status as the benchmark for New World Merlot, in 2017, Wine Spectator honored our 2014 Three Palms Vineyard Merlot as “Wine of the Year.”