2012 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot Three Palms Vineyard Napa Valley (in magnum) Magnum

"The Best California Merlot Ever” - Napa’s Answer to Chateau Petrus

When Dan Duckhorn bought Three Palms Vineyard in 2011, he knew just what he paid for. Duckhorn had been working with fruit from the historic Napa property for 33 years. He knew the hard work necessary to get the most out of the rocky, volcanic soils in the northeastern side of the valley created by the outwash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon. But even he was surprised at how quickly his investment paid off when, in the very next year, he hit the jackpot.

Since the early 1980s, Three Palms Merlot has been one of Napa Valley’s most iconic reds, standing shoulder to shoulder with Silver Oak and Opus One. Typically, Three Palms Merlot is known for its fine lines, precision, and suppleness. But in the phenomenal 2012 vintage, Duckhorn’s Three Palms takes on a far more Cabernet-like complexion. This library release is not only beautifully honed, but wildly concentrated and flamboyant.  Is the 2012 the best Three Palms ever?

In our opinion, without a doubt. But don’t just take it from us. If you missed the December 2015 Forbes article titled “The Best California Merlot Ever,” we suggest you dig it up. Why? They’re talking about... the 2012 Three Palms. The same wine snared 96 points from The Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wines. The WineAccess membership went wild, with an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5.

As Wine Enthusiast noted, “Duckhorn’s inspiration has always been Château Pétrus, the famous 100-percent Merlot from Pomerol. His team continues to benchmark their wines against it, aiming to make first-growth Napa Valley Merlot.”

A lot of hard work goes into that pursuit of perfection. Due to the extreme rockiness of the soils, managing the timing of hand passes and irrigation at Three Palms is absolutely integral to producing high-quality fruit. In the 2012 vintage, a drought year in Napa Valley, the Duckhorn crew touched each vine no fewer than six times, carefully adjusting both the canopy and the number of clusters.

The 2012 Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot is opaque purple to the rim, infused with luscious aromas of crushed black fruits, graphite, and tobacco, laced with new-wood cedar. Extraordinarily rich and dense yet silken in texture, the finish is classic Three Palms — at once soft and sturdy, arguing for a 10- to 20-year stay in a cool cellar. Out of Magnums, tack on another decade for what Wine Enthusiast correctly labeled a “Cellar Selection.”

Thanks to those of you who feasted on the Three Palms magnums offered in recent years, Duckhorn has agreed to an exclusive cellar release for WineAccess members. 96 points. $225 (if you can find it), just $189 today for California’s answer to Petrus.  110 magnums won’t last long.