Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2005

This concentrated wine has a velvety texture, bright acidity, and firm, well-integrated tannins. The aroma is layered with red fruit, dried herbs, allspice, vanilla bean, and a hint of dust. On the palate, the flavors are dominated by dark red fruits, including ripe strawberries and dried cherries, with inviting accents of toasted oak, chocolate, and spice.

In the late 1800s, the land that is now home to the Three Palms Vineyard was a residence for famed San Francisco socialite Lillie Hitchcock Coit. She left her mark on San Francisco in the form of Coit Tower. She left her mark on the Napa Valley in the form of three lone palm trees, which were all that remained from her estate after the house fell into disuse and ruin. The 83-acre vineyard is located on the northeast side of the Napa Valley in an alluvial fan created by the outwash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon. The site is covered with volcanic stones washed down over the centuries from the canyon. The soil is rocky and well drained, causing the vines to send their roots far, wide, and deep to find the necessary nutrients and water. The stones aid the vineyard, absorbing the sun's heat during the day and radiating the heat during the night to protect the vines during frost season and help ripen the fruit. Except for a few vintages, we have produced a Three Palms Merlot since the inaugural 1978 vintage.

"Black-garnet hue with a fuchsia rim. Forward aromas of plum, cherry compote and warm caramel. Classic Three Palms fruit with a combination of power and finesse emitting layers of black cherry, plum, sweet oak and cedar accents. Youthful tannins do surface in the finish giving apt support to the lingering sweetness."
-Wine News