1978 Duckhorn "Three Palms" Napa Valley Merlot

Bid on this bottle of 1978 Duckhorn "Three Palms" Napa Valley Merlot. This is from Duckhorn's inaugural vintage and the first vineyard-designated Merlot. Duckhorn is one of the most enduring brands in Napa Valley wine, and the Three Palms Vineyard is arguably the greatest Merlot site in America. For decades, this wine has come to define Napa Valley Merlot in the most classic terms: lush fruit, enticing aromatics, and structure to age. In fact, it's safe to say that Duckhorn is one of the few Napa wineries that is at least as well known for its Merlot as for its Cabernets. According to the Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine: "We were asked recently by the French wine magazine, Sommelier, to name the best American wines produced before 1980. This wine was among them. In its heyday, it was so deep and rich, so luscious yet well-structured that it became the first Merlot to enter our wine cellars in numbers." (10/02)