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)

95 Points James Suckling:  "The cool vintage conditions have delivered a well-balanced, refined wine. Aromas of dark cherries, plums, black currants, graphite and spices. The palate is mid-weighted with a textural, rounded mouthfeel and fine-boned tannins, leading to a refreshing, austere finish with an earthy edge. A finely constructed merlot."

93 Points Wine Enthusiast: "Neatly delineated aromas of black cherry, cocoa powder, toasted pecan, and leather burst from the glass on the nose of this iconic Merlot. The palate possesses a wealth of rich tannin balanced by supple acidity framing flavors of baked cherry, plum jam, chocolate malt, chopped herbs, and wildflowers across a lengthy finish."

93 Points Wine Spectator: "Keenly structured Merlot that blends finesse with simmering power. Notes of red and black current open to dusty herb and licorice flavors and build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Drink now through 2035."

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.”