Josh Cellars Merlot
Merlot · California
$14.99
Showing image 1 of 1: Cakebread Merlot 750 Ml front bottle
Cakebread Cellars Merlot
Cakebread Cellars · California · United States
$63.99
1
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Add this wine to your mix-and-match 12-bottle case — every bottle at our already-low everyday price.
Why it’s a great value
It carries a verified 95-point score from Decanter.com. If you want to spend less, Sterling Vineyards Napa Merlot is $22.99.
Taste profile
SweetnessDry → Sweet
BodyLight → Full
AciditySoft → Bright
TanninSilky → Grippy
OakNone → Bold
FruitSubtle → Intense
What it tastes like
Plush Napa Merlot with blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum, mocha, toast, and a polished dark chocolate finish.
You’ll like this if…
Choose this if you like Napa Merlot or Cabernet-adjacent reds that are full-bodied and polished but not harshly tannic.
Why buy it
It delivers a recognizable Cakebread Napa profile: ripe dark fruit, French oak polish, bright acidity, and enough structure for a special dinner.
Best for
Roasted meats, lamb, mushroom-rich dishes, and a refined red-wine gift.
Style
Full-bodied, dry, fruit-forward Napa Valley Merlot with refined tannins, bright acidity, and integrated French oak.
Drinks like
Napa Valley Merlot, right-bank-inspired California red blends, softer Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Experience level
Approachable for casual drinkers, with enough Napa Valley structure and detail for more experienced wine fans.
Flavor notes
Pairs well with
mom's meatloaf with mushroom gravy · coq au vin · lamb burgers with whipped feta and pickled fennel · lamb meatballs with pine nuts and currant · wild mushroom and leek bread pudding · roasted beet, radicchio, farro, and goat cheese salad
Best occasions
Serving & enjoying
- Serving temperature:
- 60-65°F
- Decanting:
- 20-30 minutes if opening young; longer only if the wine feels tight
- Glassware:
- Bordeaux or large universal red wine glass
- Drink or cellar:
- Enjoy on release for plush fruit; if the bottle is a recent release, it can develop for about 5-7 years from release according to distributor guidance.
- After opening:
- Best the day opened; can hold 1-2 days refrigerated with a tight closure
Guidance partly estimated by WineDiscounts from the wine’s style.
About this wine
Cakebread Cellars Merlot is a polished Napa Valley red with blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum, mocha, toasted oak, and dark chocolate notes. Plush fruit, bright acidity, and refined tannins make it generous without feeling heavy.
Wine details
- Type
- red
- Varietal
- Merlot
- Grapes
- 100% Merlot
- Producer
- Cakebread Cellars
- Country
- United States
- Region
- California
- Appellation
- Napa Valley
- Bottle size
- 750 Ml
- ABV
- 14.7%
Details last verified September 25, 2026
Explore
Winemaking details ›
- Winemaker:
- Stephanie Jacobs is listed as winemaker on the 2022 winery tech sheet.
- Vineyard source:
- Vineyards across Napa Valley, including Suscol Springs Ranch in the cooler southeastern reaches of Napa and warm valley-floor vineyard sources in Rutherford; Kobrand also notes Calistoga among the vineyard range.
- Vessel:
- Each vineyard lot was fermented separately; Kobrand states the lots were fermented in stainless steel tanks.
About the winery · Cakebread Cellars ›
Cakebread Cellars was founded in 1973 by Jack and Dolores Cakebread after their original Rutherford land purchase. The winery remains family owned and is closely associated with Napa Valley wines made with food and hospitality in mind. Cakebread emphasizes estate vineyard character and gentle cellar work across vineyards from Carneros to Anderson Valley. Its sustainability program includes certified winery and farming-related initiatives, renewable power, water recapture, composting, cover crops, and biodiversity practices.
Sustainability
Napa Green Winery Certified · Certified since 2008; winery states it has been recertified every year since. ↗IWCA Silver Member · International Wineries for Climate Action Silver-level member since October 2022. ↗Bee Friendly Farming Certified · Cakebread states its certified organic garden provides forage for pollinators. ↗Fish Friendly Farming Certified · Cakebread states Suscol Mountain Vineyard was certified in 2018 with zero vineyard runoff. ↗
Critic reviews
95/100Decanter.com
“Open, floral and ripe, with sweet summer berry fruit, graphite, lively acidity, and good structure.”
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$22.99Sterling Vineyards Napa Merlot
Merlot · California
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Cakebread Cellars Merlot dry or sweet?
- Cakebread Cellars Merlot is bone dry — its sweetness rating is 1 on our 1 (bone dry) to 5 (sweet) scale. It is medium-to-full bodied.
- What does Cakebread Cellars Merlot taste like?
- Plush Napa Merlot with blackberry, black cherry, ripe plum, mocha, toast, and a polished dark chocolate finish.
- What food pairs with Cakebread Cellars Merlot?
- It pairs well with Mom's meatloaf with mushroom gravy, Coq au vin, Lamb burgers with whipped feta and pickled fennel, Lamb meatballs with pine nuts and currant and Wild mushroom and leek bread pudding.
- How should I serve Cakebread Cellars Merlot?
- Serve at 60-65°F. 20-30 minutes if opening young; longer only if the wine feels tight. Glass: Bordeaux or large universal red wine glass.
- Is Cakebread Cellars Merlot a good value?
- At $63.99 it carries a verified 95-point score from Decanter.com; the review is shown on this page.
- Is there a similar wine that costs less than Cakebread Cellars Merlot?
- Sterling Vineyards Napa Merlot is a comparable Merlot at $22.99. See Sterling Vineyards Napa Merlot
- What is the bottle size and alcohol content of Cakebread Cellars Merlot?
- 750 ml bottle, 14.7% alcohol by volume.