“It wouldn’t be a day at Duckhorn if we weren’t working on Merlot.”

We caught up with Duckhorn Vineyards Executive Winemaker Renée Ary as the team processed Merlot from Patzimaro Vineyard, located at the base of St. Helena. Some of Duckhorn’s oldest vines grow here, consistently producing exceptional fruit.

Renée shares what she’s seeing from Merlot in 2026, with vines and fruit “really in sync” and beautiful quality across the board.

She also takes us inside Duckhorn’s winemaking process, where individual vineyard blocks are kept separate from the moment the fruit arrives through aging. By the end of the vintage, Renée may have 40 to 50 different Merlot fermentations to work with, giving her maximum flexibility before blending begins about six weeks before bottling.

Follow along for more updates from Napa Valley’s 2026 harvest!