The Merlot That Almost Made Me Forget Duckhorn’s Cabernet
This might just change your routine: I’ve sipped Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon enough to know its name, but their Merlot? A first. The bottle arrived with a story—half-bottle deals from Empire Wine, a friend’s parents’ obsession, and a curiosity that couldn’t be ignored. What I found was a wine that’s technically flawless but quietly unexciting. The glass revealed a deep ruby with a rim flirting with oxidation, a sign of age but not necessarily a flaw. The nose was a chorus of ripe plums, black cherry, and a whisper of cocoa, with oak adding vanilla and baking spices. On the palate,…