Best Merlot Under $25

Black Box Wines Merlot displays aromas of leathery plums and cinnamon-spiced oak. The palate is smooth, medium weight and aged-textured with sweet red currant flavors. It finishes long and warm with resolved tannins. This Merlot has acidity that allows versatility in pairing with food.

This lush and inviting Sonoma County Merlot displays enticing berry and cassis aromas, underscored by French oak-inspired notes. The layers of luxurious fruit continue on the palate, where lively acidity adds poise and structure, and silky tannins carry the wine to a long, juicy finish. 90 pts - Wine Enthusiast (v.18) 91 pts - James Suckling (v.17)

Our Napa Valley Merlot has expressive aromas of ripe red and black fruit followed by hints of spice. Supple body and medium tannins envelop flavors of berry and cherry which linger on the palate through a long, smooth finish. This wine is truly one of the best values in our lineup! 90 Points James Suckling (2015 Vintage) Varietal Makeup: 83% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot. Aging: 18 Months in French Oak Barrels Vintage Information: The 2016 vintage was what some might call a “typical” Napa Valley vintage, with adequate and well-timed rain prior to and during the early growing season. The January rains left good moisture in the soil for the vines to begin the growing season with early bud-break; canopy growth was rapid and even. Additional rainfall in March and April supported the later vine growth as well. It was a warm but moderate summer and fog mitigated the heat extremes, causing fewer heat spikes, less dehydration and overall good uniform growth. Learn more at www.charleskrug.com or visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/CharlesKrugWinery

Our Estate Vineyards provide the backbone to this Napa Valley blend, with Oak Knoll’s Little Cannon weighing in with a distinct sour cherry character while Yountville’s Hopper House and Guardian vineyards add classic Bing cherry. Together, this showstopper has a lovely balance of candied cherry laced with dark chocolate aromas. Floral fruit runs from strawberry preserves to boysenberry and is accented with an assortment of baking spices. The velvety entry melts like chocolate on the palate providing a silky but dense mouthfeel with a long, intense finish. “It’s hard to imagine anything with which this wine wouldn’t pair well … but slow-braised short ribs on a bed of buttery mash must be top of the ‘most decadent’ list.” – Kimberlee Nicholls, Winemaker

AROMAS & FLAVORS This is a velvety Merlot with a complex nose of cherry cola, cedar, vanilla and English toffee, followed by an enticing mouthfeel with flavors of plum, licorice, raspberry, mocha and cinnamon spice. This wine has impressive length and a lasting, elegant finish. FOOD PAIRINGS The fruit forward, easy-drinking qualities of this Merlot make it the perfect wine to pair with any red meat course, Italian entrees and roasted or grilled fragrantly-spiced poultry dishes. HOW IT'S MADE Upon entering the winery, the hand-harvested grapes are sorted, destemmed and then cold soaked for three days. Following the cold soak, yeast is added and pump overs commence, one to two times daily, for the duration of primary fermentation. The wine is drained and pressed, then moved to barrels for malolactic fermentation, remaining in individual lots until blending and bottling. The wine completes a total of 16 months barrel aging, allowing for the perfect balance of fruit, tannin and oak.

Ripe and velvety on the palate. The aromas are deep and smooth, redolent with ripe plums and blueberries with a fresh and lingering finish.

FLAVORS & AROMAS: Ripe bing cherries, blueberry, sage and toast oak notes are complimented by hints of vanilla lingering on a long finish.

San Simeon Merlot expresses rich flavors of blackberry and cassis. Aromas of black fruit greet the nose, while barrel-aging contributes nuances of brown sugar and oak spices. Well-integrated tannins offer texture and a plush mouthfeel. A small percentage of Petit Verdot was added for additional complexity.

Merlot is a red wine variety with strong historic ties to Bordeaux and the southwest of France. It is the predominant variety in most wines from Saint-Emilion and Pomerol, the area in which the variety originated. The variety is now widely planted in wine regions across the world and, in terms of the volumes of wine produced internationally, it is rivaled only by its Bordeaux companion, Cabernet Sauvignon. In France, Merlot is the most widely planted red wine variety of all, and it is also extremely popular in northern Italy and the warmer areas of southern...more

Discover Single Lot Estates Lot 54 Oakville Merlot

Napa Valley native & winemaker Tony Coltrin brings more than 45 years of winemaking experience to Oberon. Tony makes this Merlot from an exceptional blend of Napa Valley grapes sourced from premier sub-appellations and selected for their concentration of ripe fruit flavors and natural acidity. The layers of lush fruit flavors of plum and black currants are complemented by 12 months of French oak barrel aging and velvety texure.

93% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot From one site in Happy Canyon; the Merlot and Petit Verdot were harvested separately and both vinified 100% destemmed. Each was aged separately in neutral 59gal barrique, and racked together one (new) moon before bottling.

Classic expression of Napa Valley Merlot, this wine offers alluring aromas of lush cherry, raspberry, cocoa and freshly baked pie crust. Beautiful red raspberry, black cherry and deep complex aromas. Shows red plum, red currant, blackberry, and a touch chocolate. Full and round mouth feel with soft tannins.

Our Merlot's soft yet elegant structure is created in the vineyard through low yields, abundant sun exposure, canopy management and hang time. The wine presents a balance and elegance between ripe Merlot fruit and site-specific earthiness. Aromas of summer brush, huckleberry, eucalyptus and a slight smokiness are matched on the palate with violets, blueberry fruit, milk chocolate and moist earth.

The 2012 vintage of Merlot speaks to the incredible growing season we experienced in the Dry Creek Valley. At first swirl, fragrant aromas of red cherry, sage and oregano fill the senses. Several more minutes reveal subtle nuances in the wine such as dried flowers, cardamom and wet stone. The palate is full of wonderful fruity complexity combining a mixture of red cherry, black cherry and red plum. The tannins are silky and smooth, with excellent structure and balance. This beautiful wine is easy to love with a lush, rounded quality that lingers on and demands another sip

Bourbon Barrel Merlot embodies the Red Fox Cellars mantra to be respectful but unbound by tradition. Bright, red fruits (plums, dark cherries) give way to earthy tobacco notes. These characteristics pay homage to traditional cold climate Merlots, while breaking free in aroma and finish. Having spent anywhere from 30 days to several months in bourbon barrels from various Colorado Distilleries, this Merlot’s aroma is wrought with bourbon character- expect vanilla, baking spices, and oak. On the palate, the bourbon character is very subtle. Just a hint of spicy oak firmness and vanilla lends a romantic touch of bourbon flavor, and makes this wine truly unique.

A juicy, easy to drink red with an abundance of classic red fruit and a lingering finish. Serve with: Roasts, pasta and oxtail.

Well-structured and elegant, this Merlot opens with notes of red and black cherry, red plum and cranberry. On the palate, it delivers on its promise of ripe red fruit and subtle spice with long, fine tannins.

The medium-bodied Merlot is fruit forward with aromas of red berries, vanilla and spice. This well-structured wine has a soft entry with a concentrated mid-palate and tight, finely grained tannins that lead to a lengthy finish.

Wine drinkers gravitate to Merlot for its accessibility, generous fruit flavors and curvaceous texture. Capturing and presenting Merlot's style and charm has been our primary mission since our founding. Our Merlot is an elegantly refined blend of classic Bordeaux varietals that create a beautiful bouquet of rich aromas and prolonged flavors. Lavish cherry fruit flavors are backed by a rich, balanced structure for an intensely complex Merlot. At Rutherford Hill winery, only French oak barrels are used to age each harvest. These barrels rest naturally in our caves which provide a unique environment that enhances the wine-aging process. Silky, full-flavored, firm, and built for today’s enjoyment, the wine finishes with smooth tannins and intricate layers of flavor on the palate.

Discover Cedar Creek Merlot

Discover Claude Vialade Merlot

Exceptionally dark in color and profoundly extracted. Up front rich aromas of blueberries and rose petals. Balanced Tannins are coupled with a soft and silky richness in the finnish. VARIETAL COMPOSITION 92% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc The Merlot displays aromas of fresh blueberries and sweet black plum with notes of mint leaf tea and cocoa in support. On the palate, the wine is fruit-forward and juicy followed by lovely richness and a touch of tannin in the finish. This wine begs you take another sip and savor!

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