From the atlas
Duckhorn Vineyards
Duckhorn Vineyards is a Napa Valley producer built around Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties, with block specific lots and a range that moves from Napa Valley blends to Three Palms Vineyard and The Discussion.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | Napa Valley |
| Historic property | St Helena |
| Main grapes | Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay |
| Named vineyard wine | Three Palms Vineyard Merlot |
| Top portfolio wine | The Discussion |
| Defining cellar practice | Small lots tied to vineyard blocks during fermentation and ageing |
The Producer
Merlot sits at the centre of Duckhorn Vineyards. The producer identifies itself as the first American winery to pioneer luxury Merlot, and it debuted Napa Valley Merlot in 1979. Cabernet Sauvignon shares the red range, while Chardonnay has its own Napa Valley program.
The red wines include broad Napa Valley bottlings, a vineyard designated Merlot from Three Palms Vineyard, and The Discussion, a Cabernet Sauvignon led blend. Duckhorn Vineyards works with Bordeaux varieties across these wines, while keeping the individual bottle styles distinct.
Place
Duckhorn's estate vineyard program encompasses 298 acres across five Napa Valley subappellations. The range therefore includes wines carrying the wider Napa Valley name alongside wines tied to a named vineyard or a more specific blend.
The original property is in St Helena. Three Palms Vineyard gives one Merlot its vineyard designation, while The Discussion carries the name of the top wine in the Duckhorn Vineyards portfolio.
Story
Dan and Margaret Duckhorn co founded Duckhorn Vineyards in 1976 and purchased the original 10 acre property in St Helena. The new winery entered Napa Valley with Bordeaux varieties and developed its Merlot program early in its history.
After four decades of working with Three Palms fruit, Duckhorn acquired Three Palms Vineyard in 2015. The long fruit relationship became ownership of the vineyard behind its named Merlot, linking the producer's early vineyard wine with a later change in its holdings.
Vineyards And Cellar
During fermentation and ageing, Duckhorn keeps wines in small lots corresponding to specific blocks within its vineyards. This preserves block level separation through the cellar and keeps the wines connected to individual vineyard sources.
The Napa Valley Chardonnay program uses French oak barrel fermentation and lees stirring. Lees stirring keeps fine yeast sediment in contact with the wine, contributing to the complexity and richness described for the Chardonnay.
French oak also features across the red wines. The individual barrel programs differ by bottle, with the range moving from the broader Napa Valley wines to the more heavily aged Three Palms Merlot and The Discussion.
Wines
The 2022 Napa Valley Merlot is the broad Merlot bottling, made from 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. It matured for 15 months in French oak, divided between 40% new and 60% neutral barrels.
The 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It matured for 16 months in French oak, with equal portions of new and neutral barrels.
The 2021 Three Palms Vineyard Merlot is a vineyard designated wine made from 87% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. It matured for 18 months in French oak, using 75% new and 25% neutral barrels.
At the top of the range sits the 2022 The Discussion, a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot. It received 24 months of barrel ageing, with 18 months in new French oak followed by six months in neutral barrels.
In The Glass
The 2022 Napa Valley Merlot opens with floral notes and dark red berries. Its palate is supple, with fruit and tannin integrated into a smooth, polished line.
The 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon brings dark red berries and cardamom, followed by fig jam and boysenberry pie. Firm, dusty tannins carry the wine toward a focused finish.
Three Palms Merlot combines blackberry, cherry, molasses and wet slate minerality. The palate is sumptuous, with fine, graceful tannins holding the fruit and mineral notes together.
The Discussion moves toward black plum, Mission figs, cocoa nibs and warm baking spices. Its texture is plush and juicy, with silky tannins through the finish. The Chardonnay program brings barrel fermented richness and complexity, shaped by lees stirring.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose the 2022 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot. It is the broad Napa Valley red blend, with Merlot accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The bottle carries the central grape of Duckhorn's history under the wider Napa Valley name.
Three Palms Merlot comes later as a vineyard designated wine, while The Discussion shifts to a Cabernet Sauvignon led blend at the top of the portfolio. The Napa Valley Merlot keeps the range's main Merlot thread in one broadly addressed bottle.
Anecdote
Dan and Margaret Duckhorn's inaugural 1978 harvest yielded 800 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 800 cases of Three Palms Vineyard Merlot. The first release placed two wines beside each other in equal quantities, with Cabernet Sauvignon on one side and a vineyard designated Merlot on the other. Three Palms has remained a vineyard designated Merlot in Duckhorn's range since that inaugural vintage.
Final Word
Duckhorn Vineyards makes Napa Valley wines from Bordeaux varieties, with Merlot moving from a broad Napa Valley blend to the named Three Palms Vineyard bottling. The cellar keeps vineyard blocks in small lots and uses French oak across the red range.
Sources
- https://www.duckhorn.com/pages/history
- https://www.winespectator.com/articles/publicly%2Dtraded%2Dduckhorn%2Dwine%2Dcompany%2Dbought
- https://www.napawineproject.com/duckhorn%2Dvineyards/
- https://www.duckhorn.com/products/2022%2Dduckhorn%2Dvineyards%2Dnapa%2Dvalley%2Dmerlot
- https://www.duckhorn.com/products/2022%2Dduckhorn%2Dvineyards%2Dnapa%2Dvalley%2Dcabernet%2Dsauvignon
- https://www.duckhorn.com/products/2021%2Dduckhorn%2Dvineyards%2Dnapa%2Dvalley%2Dmerlot%2Dthree%2Dpalms%2Dvineyard
- https://www.duckhorn.com/products/2022%2Dduckhorn%2Dvineyards%2Dthe%2Ddiscussion%2Dnapa%2Dvalley%2Dred%2Dwine