Co-founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has spent nearly fifty years establishing itself as one of North America’s premier producers of Napa Valley wines. From its modest inaugural vintage of 800 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 800 cases of Merlot in 1978, to its addition of Sauvignon Blanc in 1982, Duckhorn Vineyards has crafted a tradition of quality and excellence that continues today.
At Duckhorn Vineyards, we have been making wine using grapes from the finest Napa Valley vineyards for over 40 years. Building on this rich history, our Napa Valley Chardonnay comes from the coolest regions. In the cellar, we applied classic techniques of French oak barrel fermentation with lees stirring, resulting in a Chardonnay that balances the complexity and richness of Napa Valley
Inspired after a visit to Bordeaux, Dan Duckhorn produced the first vintage of Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot in 1978. Highlighting Estate vineyards and top sites, our renown Merlot reflects the diversity of the valley’s many appellations. Blending with Cabernet Sauvignon adds notable depth and structure, as well as signature flavors of black cherry, plum and spice.
We have been producing Cabernet Sauvignon since 1978. Blending fruit from estate vineyards and top Napa Valley growers, this wine embodies the complexity of the valley while offering a seamless balance between fruit, oak and tannins. To add nuance, the Cabernet is blended with Merlot, yielding a wine that is approachable in its youth yet worthy of cellaring.
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."