A Global Classic
Today, Merlot is the most widely planted grape in France and the backbone of legendary wines from Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. It thrives across continents not because it follows trends, but because it transcends them.
Elegant yet powerful. Approachable yet profound. Merlot belongs wherever people gather.
The First Spark
Duckhorn’s love affair with Merlot began in the early 1970s, when co-founder Dan Duckhorn traveled through Bordeaux’s Right Bank and felt its pull instantly. He was drawn to its softness, its seduction, and its natural place at the table.
More than admiration, he saw possibility. Napa Valley, with its diversity of soils and pioneering spirit, could produce Merlot worthy of the world stage.
A Declaration
In the 1970s, Merlot was rarely treated as a leading voice in California. In 1978, Duckhorn changed that conversation with a bold commitment to Merlot as a luxury, standalone wine.
Our first bottling, sourced from the now-iconic Three Palms Vineyard, set the course for everything that followed. This was not a trend or a test. It was a declaration.
For fifty years, Merlot has been our calling.
A Sense of Place
What continues to inspire us is how clearly Merlot expresses place.
In cooler sites, it offers lifted aromatics and vibrant red fruit. On the valley floor, it becomes plush and layered, generous and inviting. From mountain vineyards, it reveals structure, minerality, and remarkable longevity. Across Napa Valley and our eight Estate vineyards, Merlot tells a story of nuance, contrast, and character.
Still Ours
Trends may come and go, but greatness endures. Merlot never disappeared. It has been here all along: timeless, expressive, and deeply rooted in Duckhorn’s identity.
Passed from winemaker to winemaker, shaped by exceptional vineyards, and refined through five decades of experience, Merlot is in our DNA.
For those ready to discover it, or rediscover it, Merlot awaits your pleasure.
