Wool does not wick by default, but particularly fine Merino does, or at least it does according to Patagonia:
"While all wool retains its insulative qualities while wet, only exceptionally fine wool can wick moisture away from the skin"
The reason why Merino baselayers from certain brands of our acquaintance tend to cost an arm and a leg is they tend to be the "exceptionally fine" sort, so if you've got a good one it will wick moisture away. That's teh reason to buy expensive Merino, rather than any old sheeps wool.
Though of course there's a difference between "DOES NOT WICK", period, and doesn't wick as much as certain structured polyesters/polypropylenes".
Merino certainly takes longer to dry than a good synthetic which certainly suggests it's absorbed more water, but OTOH if it didn't push anything out then the theory that anything worn over the top starts getting smelly I've seen here recently wouldn't really stand up too well.
wicking is moving it from one side (or not depending upon the fabric) AND spreading it over a wide area to evaporate. otherwise it's just absorbing. some fabrics wick like crazy e.g. paramo travel shirts and some don't e.g. wool.
drop water onto a fabric, or dangle in a bowl of water, and see how far it spreads.
