Since our inaugural 1978 vintage, we have been proud to craft a vineyard-designate Merlot from the legendary Three Palms Vineyard. Named for its three iconic palm trees, this warm, up-valley vineyard features lean soils that cause the vines to send their roots deep in search of nutrients, yielding a profoundly intense and age-worthy wine with complex fruit and mineral layers. As a testament to its status as the benchmark for New World Merlot, in 2017, Wine Spectator honored our 2014 Three Palms Vineyard Merlot as “Wine of the Year."
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Composition: 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
Winemaker Notes
The exceptional 2019 growing season produced a fascinating and elegantly full-bodied expression of Merlot at the famed Three Palms Vineyard. Luxurious aromas of black plum, boysenberry and dark chocolate leap from the glass, followed by hints of sweet molasses and vanilla bean. On the palate, firm tannins and undercurrents of energetic acidity add brightness and poise to lush dark berry flavors, while promising a long life ahead.
Production
2019 brought another exceptional vintage to Napa Valley, resulting in wines with alluring polish and poise! The season began with a wet winter followed by a mild spring. While this led to a slightly later-than normal start to the season, ideal summer weather with no significant heat spikes ensured ideal flavor development, yielding complex and vibrant whites, and refined reds with elegant tannins, enticing aromatics and beautiful fruit flavors.