Wine & Food | Professor Bainbridge

Duckhorn Merlot (Napa Valley) 2001

This wine is drinking remarkably well right now. It still has a lot of upscale Napa fruit--plums, raspberries, and cherries--and plenty of toasty oak, but it’s also developing some interesting aspects characteristic of a mature, age-worthy Merlot. A slight whiff of cedar, mocha java, and rich Asian spices. Delicious. I’ve got 5 bottles left in the cellar. It’s tempting to drink them all now, but I think I’ll parcel them out at the rate of about 1 bottle every 9 or 10 months, Grade: A-

Three prior notes:

Title	Excerpt	Date
Duckhorn Merlot (Napa Valley) 2001	Two prior notes: TitleExcerptDateDuckhorn Merlot (Napa Valley) 2001Since last noted in June 2004, the 2001 Duckhorn Merlot has mellowed quite a lot. In this bottle, at least, the tannins are round and smooth. Soft, sweet dark fruits dominate this delicious wine, which also offers a long and perfumed finish. At…	05/18/08
Duckhorn Merlot (Napa Valley) 2001	Since last noted in June 2004, the 2001 Duckhorn Merlot has mellowed quite a lot. In this bottle, at least, the tannins are round and smooth. Soft, sweet dark fruits dominate this delicious wine, which also offers a long and perfumed finish. At $45/bottle, this wine is perhaps a tad…	08/27/05
Duckhorn Merlot (Napa Valley) 2001	The 2001 Merlot is a delicious, inky wine. Good dark fruits, with an aftertaste of toasty vanilla. A shade too tannic for immediate consumption, although it goes well with a richly sauced beef dish. A wine for the cellar. Grade: A-	06/18/04