Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot 2017
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Duckhorn Napa Valley Merlot brings the Right Bank to our part of the world and gives wine lovers a beautiful wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine accurately and lovingly puts Merlot on a pedestal. Its aromas and flavors of boysenberries and subtle oaky notes frame the wine perfectly. Enjoy it with a properly-seasoned Porchetta. (Tasted: July 19, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
A nicely crafted 2017 red with berries, plums and hints of dark chocolate on the nose and palate. Medium body, creamy tannins and a savory finish. Pretty fruit at the end. Drink or hold.
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Wine & Spirits
Duckhorn takes rich and supple Napa Valley merlot in an elegant direction. While there may be a lot of juicy blackberry fruit, along with a toasty, smoky presence of oak, both of those elements serve to elevate the texture. Rather than complexity, this wine is all about supple pleasures, with nothing out of place.
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Wine Enthusiast
With dark fruit at its core, this wine offers thick, concentrated power alongside accents of sage and clove. The fruit is black cherry and plum, rich enough to be jammy, with plenty of support from toasted oak and baking spice nuances.
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Here is rich, well-mannered Merlot that puts a heavy emphasis on the very specific, black cherry fruit of the variety and comes with a trim bit of sweet oak that serves to enhance its steady and sustained richness. It is moderately full-bodied and fleshy in feel with well-integrated tannins that firm without being at all intrusive, and, if neither as deep nor as far-reaching in range as its companion from the Three Palms Vineyard, it is a thoroughly tasty Merlot, that, if possessing mid-term aging potential, is a polished, well-made example that those who are a bit short on patience are certain to find inviting if uncorked and enjoyed in the very near term.
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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.”
As Napa Valley’s third most planted grape, Napa Valley Merlot shows time and time again its potential to produce exceptional results. Napa’s vaunted combination of climate, soil and the human factor of winemaking expertise lead to big, ripe, cellar-worthy and world-class versions.
Whether made by itself in single varietal bottlings or as an important role in Bordeaux Blends, Merlot continues a prominent role in this famous region. While Cabernet typically takes the lead role, Merlot’s contribution—even at 10% to 20% or so—is significant indeed. Often described as “the flesh on Cabernet’s bones,” Merlot lends a soft, round and plush character that beautifully complements Cabernet’s linear, full-throttle structure. Its flavors of plums plus subtle herbs and mint also dovetail nicely with Cabernet’s blackberry and cassis.