93pts James Suckling

A well-rounded, velvety and flavorful merlot with dark cherries, grilled bell peppers and some baking spices. Supple with a caressing texture to the medium body and melty tannins. Polished and mellow. Drink now.

93pts Wilfred Wong

The 2021 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot is a standup and palate-lasting wine. Bring this wine to a lamb BBQ and pair its aromas and flavors with fragrant spices, chalky notes, tart nectarines, and oaky notes. 

Wine Enthusiast

Made from several high-class sites, including Hyde Vineyard and Beckstoffer's Carneros Lake/Las Amigas Vineyard, this is a cooler-climate, 100% varietal wine. Juicy in crisp red fruit, it also has elements of pencil lead and cedar, giving an edginess of savory complexity that's interesting and long-lasting.

Tasting Notes

Crafted from both mountain and valley floor vineyards, this alluring wine embodies the rich diversity of great Napa Valley Merlot. From its velvety tannins and lively acidity to luxurious layers of plum, candied black cherry, red licorice and sweet baking spices this gracefully structured Merlot glides to a lush, lingering finish.

Winemaker Notes

Inspired after a visit to Bordeaux, Dan Duckhorn produced the first vintage of Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot in 1978. Highlighting Estate vineyards and top sites, our renown Merlot reflects the diversity of the valley’s many appellations. Blending with Cabernet Sauvignon adds notable depth and structure, as well as signature flavors of black cherry, plum and spice.

Blend : 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon,2% Cabernet Franc

Winery Notes

Founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting classic Napa Valley wines for nearly 40 years. This winemaking tradition has grown to include seven meticulously farmed Estate vineyards, located throughout the various microclimates of the Napa Valley. Focused on quality and consistency, these Estate vineyards are an essential element in making wines of distinction. Pioneering and perfecting Merlot as a premium varietal, Duckhorn Vineyards now makes several elegant Merlot and distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings that showcase its premium vineyard sites. Duckhorn Vineyards has been named one of the “Top 100 Wineries” in the world eight times by Wine & Spirits, and the 2014 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Three Palms Vineyard was named the “2017 Wine of the Year,” topping Wine Spectator’s annual list of the world’s “Top 100 Wines.”