2015 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyard
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Since our inaugural vintage in 1978, Duckhorn Vineyards has been proud to craft a vineyard-designate bottling from Three Palms. One of California’s first single-vineyard Merlots, this full-bodied wine reflects Three Palms’ unique terroir and has been a consistent benchmark for New World Merlot. Named for its three iconic palm trees, the warm, up valley vineyard features lean soils that cause the vines to send their roots deep in search of nutrients, producing an intense, age-worthy wine with complex fruit and mineral layers.
Wine Spectator
91
Wine Enthusiast
93
Wine Review Online
100
Three Palms Merlot
New! Buy the 2015 vintage, the highly anticipated follow-up to Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year. Quantities Limited.
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Composition: 91% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Petit Verdot, .5% Cabernet Franc; Cooperage: 100% French Oak, 75% New Oak, 25% Neutral
Winemaker Notes
Reflecting what can be achieved from a legendary vineyard in an exceptional growing season, this wine displays captivating aromas of fresh cranberry, blueberry, fig, cedar and cocoa nibs. On the dense, mouth-filling palate, sophisticated notes of wet slate minerality add poise and definition to flavors of plum, molasses, cherry and crushed rose petals. Silky tannins carry the wine to a beautifully structured finish with hints of moist earth, cranberry and bittersweet chocolate.
Production
In Napa Valley, a warm, dry spring resulted in any early budbreak, while an extended flowering period brought a return to normal yields after three years of abundant crops. With berry weights down, the grapes offered great concentration, while retaining excellent acidity. We had one of our earliest harvests in the past decade, with our first white grapes arriving at the winery on July 31st. A light rain in mid-September nourished the vines, while providing welcome additional hangtime. Overall, the quality of the fruit was exceptional, with our white wines showing both richness and complexity, and our red grapes displaying a fine balance between elegance and intensity, with gorgeous dark fruit flavors.
Other Notes
Released: April 2018
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Varietal
Merlot
Appellation
Napa Valley
Vineyard Designation
Three Palms Vineyard
Harvest Date
August 19 – September 3, 2015
Sugar
27.4° Brix
Acid
0.56 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.79
Aging
18 Months in Oak
Alcohol %
14.7
Wine Spectator
91
Wine Enthusiast
93
Wine Review Online
100