Duckhorn Vineyards Three Palms Merlot 2019 Red Wine

Duckhorn Vineyards Three Palms Merlot 2019 Red Wine

Napa Valley, CA

95 pts. James Suckling:

"I like the savory nose here, with notes of coffee, spiced plum, overturned earth and bark. Full-bodied with fine, silky tannins. Expressive, but focused, with really clean and clear dark fruit blending nicely with ground spice and grilled herbs. Totally delicious. This will age very nicely. Best after 2024."

94 pts. Wine Spectator:

"Notable for the structure and polish, this red offers handsome red and black currant flavors framed by black olive, sweet tobacco and spice tones that gather tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030." (TF)

FROM THE WINERY

Since our inaugural 1978 vintage, we have been proud to craft a vineyard-designate 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.”

VINTAGE NOTES

2019 brought another exceptional vintage to Napa Valley, resulting in wines with alluring polish and poise! The season began with a wet winter followed by a mild spring. While this led to a slightly later-than-normal start to the season, ideal summer weather with no significant heat spikes ensured ideal flavor development, yielding complex and vibrant whites, and refined reds with elegant tannins, enticing aromatics and beautiful fruit flavors.

WINEMAKING NOTES

The exceptional 2019 growing season produced a fascinating and elegantly full-bodied expression of Merlot at the famed Three Palms Vineyard. Luxurious aromas of black plum, boysenberry and dark chocolate leap from the glass, followed by hints of sweet molasses and vanilla bean. On the palate, firm tannins and undercurrents of energetic acidity add brightness and poise to lush dark berry flavors, while promising a long life ahead.

WINEMAKING

Appellation: Napa Valley
Vineyard: Three Palms Vineyard
Varietal composition: 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
Fermentation & aging:  Aged for 18 months in 100% French oak, 75% new, 25% neutral
Alcohol 14.5%
pH 3.63
Acidity 0.57 g/100 ml