The Three Palms Vineyard is one of the most prestigious sources for Merlot in all of Napa Valley, and has been a source for a single-vineyard bottling by Duckhorn since their first vintage in 1978. Just recently, Duckhorn purchased the vineyard and they are now the only winery making wine from the grapes grown at Three Palms.

Originally the site of the residence of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a noted San Francisco socialite, the vineyard takes its name from the trees that remain from before her death in 1929. The site was first planted to vines in 1968 after being acquired by the Upton brothers who, over the years, focused the vineyard on the Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and a tiny bit of Malbec. After its debut in 1978, Duckhorn’s Three Palms bottling gradually found a following across the USA and it continues to be featured on the wine lists of many of the top restaurants in the country.

The vineyard sits just across the road from Larkmead, who have gained a similar reputation for the wines from their estate. The famous Eisele vineyard, formerly the home of Araujo Estate, sits just a little further north into Calistoga. These three vineyards are some of the most historic in the valley since they have produced wines of very high quality for several decades.

The wines from Three Palms are typically intense, yet elegant. They are famous for aging gracefully for many years, much like the wines made by their famous neighbors. It is certainly worth the effort to seek these wines out, or to enjoy a bottle at a favorite restaurant.

We have recently tasted the 2012 and 2013 vintages of Duckhorn’s Three Palms Merlot. Links to the full reviews are below.

Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon Three Palms Vineyard 2012 | 97 points

Duckhorn Merlot Three Palms Vineyard 2013 | 97 points