Sommelier Profile
Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot
Napa Valley, California
Supple yet structured, with black plum, cherry, cocoa, cedar, vanilla, and savory herb notes. The tannins are rounded but present, giving the wine more grip than many soft Merlots.
Napa Valley, California
Napa Valley's warm days, cool nights, and varied benchland soils can produce Merlot with ripe plum fruit and firm structure. Duckhorn has long championed Merlot as a serious Napa variety rather than merely a blending grape.
Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties
Merlot brings plum, black cherry, cocoa, and velvety texture. Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties may add cassis, backbone, and aromatic complexity.
Fruit from valley-floor and hillside sites contributes both plushness and structure. French oak aging adds cedar, spice, and mocha while preserving the wine's polished Merlot center.
Black plum, cherry, cocoa, cedar, bay leaf, vanilla, and baking spice create a polished Napa Merlot bouquet.
Duckhorn is one of the key American producers associated with premium Merlot and remains a common reference point for Napa's version of the grape.