2016 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot Napa Valley 750 ml

Very famously, Miles Davis once bristled at being called a legend. “A legend’s an old man with a cane known for what he used to do,” was his tart reply. “I’m still doing it.” 

That could be Duckhorn’s mantra. Since the early 1980s, Duckhorn’s Merlots have ranked among Napa Valley’s most iconic reds, standing shoulder to shoulder with Silver Oak and Opus One. Duckhorn’s excellence fueled the California Merlot boom, and they’re still putting out world-class California Merlot for an excellent price—and earning their stripes year in and year out: Their Three Palms Merlot was named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 2017, and Duckhorn was named one of Wine & Spirits magazine’s Top 100 wineries of 2019. 

That’s why when Duckhorn Merlot crosses our tasting table, we don’t treat it like a formality. Far from it. We revel in the Grand Cru Bordelaise-style elegance and grace—the crushed blackberry, dark plum, tobacco and dark chocolate, and of course the plush palate that is Duckhorn’s calling card. Packed with black and blue fruit, a hint of violet, vanilla, and cedar, this bottle from the historic 98-point 2016 vintage is the exact kind of effort that made their Merlot the best in Napa Valley.

In the mid-70s, Dan Duckhorn and the brilliant winemaker Ric Forman set themselves a difficult and ambitious goal: to coax Bordeaux-like elegance from the warm, rolling hills of Napa Valley. The duo made their way to France and spent the better part of a year in deep study of the most prestigious estates of Bordeaux’s Right and Left Banks. When they returned to Napa, they began scoping out vineyards they believed could offer First Growth potential on the West Coast—as Tony Biagi, former Duckhorn winemaker, put it: They had “a great nose for dirt.”  

Winemaker Tom Rinaldi was hired, and over 20 years lifted Duckhorn into the pantheon of Napa wineries. Today, Renee Ary is following suit, and every blue-chip steakhouse in America stands in line for its annual allocation of Duckhorn's fabulous Merlots. In phenomenal Napa vintages (like this one), Duckhorn’s Merlots take on a far more Cabernet-like complexion, marrying sleek lines and tremendous concentration—and it doesn’t hurt that this one is bolstered with a generous portion of Cabernet in the blend.

Wonderfully rich and opulent, buttressed by benchmark Right Bank structure, and showing vibrant aromas of ripe plum, raspberry, and black cherry, Duckhorn is every steak lover’s dream wine, and a California reference point. The trends in California wine don’t matter. Duckhorn will always be there among the classics of Napa Valley, putting out a mesmerizing Merlot. This is your shot to take home one of the starring Merlots of a historic vintage.