Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2006

"An extraordinarily rich, tannic and dry wine, which despite its big structure is relieved by potent flavors of cherries, blackberries, plum and cedar. It's a complex, well-crafted wine that should develop in the bottle at least through 2014."

93 Points

Wine Enthusiast

"A long-time winner when it comes to Merlot, Duckhorn still ranks among the best. Rich, ripe and juicy with plenty of vanillin oak sweetening its way, this well-extracted offering shows off the varietal's supple side and yet sports a fairly firm underpinning of grippy young tannins. While it has just enough frontal richness to allow early drinking with heartier cuts of beef, this wine will show far better if given a chance to develop, and it should be left alone for four or five years."

93 Points

Connoisseurs' Guide

"Merlot thrives in the rocky soils of this famed vineyard in southern Calistoga; Duckhorn purchases this fruit from a block that was replanted in 1993 and '94. This 2006 is a sleek, juicy merlot with red fruit flavors of cranberries and cherry wrapped in a plush blanket of new oak. The fruit is tart, with edges of mint, the oak as sweet as caramel, but rather than falling to either extreme, the wine strikes a smooth, clean balance, ready for roast duck."

91 Points

Wine & Spirits