Deep Wine Discounts | Mix & Match Your Favorites | Build a 12-Bottle Case
WineDiscounts.com

Showing image 1 of 1: Noble Vines 181 Merlot 750 Ml front bottle

Noble Vines 181 Merlot

Noble Vines · California · United States

92 pts · Wine Enthusiast89 pts · Wine Enthusiast
$10.99$14.99 save $4.00 (27%)
1

Building a case?

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

Noble Vines 181 Merlot is $10.99 today against a recorded compare-at price of $14.99 — a saving of $4.00 (27%). It carries a verified 92-point score from Wine Enthusiast at a price under $25. The next step up in the same style, Josh Cellars Merlot, is $14.99.

Taste profile

SweetnessDry → Sweet
BodyLight → Full
Acidity*Soft → Bright
Tannin*Silky → Grippy
Oak*None → Bold
Fruit*Subtle → Intense

* WineDiscounts editorial estimate based on verified tasting notes.

What it tastes like

Ripe plum and blackberry wrapped in vanilla, baking spice and soft, plush tannins.

You’ll like this if…

Choose this if you like smooth California Merlot, fruit-forward red blends or Cabernet with softer tannins.

Why buy it

A verified Lodi Merlot from the Noble Vines 181 tier with producer-stated oak aging and recent Wine Enthusiast Best Buy reviews.

Best for

An easy, full-bodied red for sausage pasta, mushroom burgers, roasted vegetables or casual dinners.

Style

Full-bodied, plush, ripe and gently oaked.

Drinks like

California Merlot, softer Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon, fruit-forward Bordeaux-style red blends.

Experience level

Beginner-friendly, but with enough spice and structure for regular Merlot drinkers.

Flavor notes

Fruitbaked cherry pieripe plumblackberrydark cherry
Floralviolet
Earthdried brushearth
Oakvanillabuttered toast
Spicecinnamonnutmegstar anise
Otherbrown sugarcocoa nibs

Pairs well with

pasta with sausage · portabella mushroom burger · roasted vegetables · weekday takeaway

Best occasions

weeknight dinnercasual entertainingburger nightpizza or takeout night

Serving & enjoying

Serving temperature:
60-65°F
Decanting:
Optional 15-20 minutes to open up the oak spice and dark fruit.
Glassware:
Standard red wine glass or Bordeaux-style glass.
Drink or cellar:
Enjoy now; no shelf vintage is tracked.
After opening:
Best within 2-3 days if recorked and kept cool.

Guidance partly estimated by WineDiscounts from the wine’s style.

About this wine

Noble Vines 181 Merlot is a full-bodied Lodi red with plush dark-fruit character, baking spice and smooth tannins. Notes of baked cherry, ripe plum, vanilla and brown sugar make it a friendly bottle for burgers, sausage pasta and roasted vegetables.

Wine details

Type
red
Varietal
Merlot
Grapes
Merlot
Producer
Noble Vines
Country
United States
Region
California
Appellation
Lodi
Bottle size
750 Ml
ABV
14%

Details last verified September 18, 2026

Explore

Winemaking details ›
Vineyard source:
Clay Station Vineyard on a breezy knoll in Lodi, California.
Vessel:
French and American oak.
About the winery · Noble Vines ›

Noble Vines focuses on California expressions of French varieties, with bottle numbers tied to prized vine stock selections. For 181 Merlot, the brand points to Merlot 181 vine stock from Pomerol, France, matched to Lodi's clay-based soils. The producer describes its wines as approachable for relaxing or sharing with friends, and the brand also highlights hunger-relief partnerships through its Noble Legacy mission.

Critic reviews

92/100Wine Enthusiast

“Plum, cherry compote, clove and dried potpourri on the nose.”

Reviewed: Noble Vines 2022 181 (Lodi) (2022) — Tonya Pitts, 2024-12-31 · source

89/100Wine Enthusiast

“Deep, dark cherry, dark plum, star anise, vanilla spice and violet.”

Reviewed: Noble Vines 2023 181 Merlot (Lodi) (2023) — Tonya Pitts, 2026-04-01 · source
Trade up

Josh Cellars Merlot

Merlot · California

$14.99

More Merlot

Explore more from Noble Vines

You may also like

More wines from California

Frequently asked questions

Is Noble Vines 181 Merlot dry or sweet?
Noble Vines 181 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 Noble Vines 181 Merlot taste like?
Ripe plum and blackberry wrapped in vanilla, baking spice and soft, plush tannins.
What food pairs with Noble Vines 181 Merlot?
It pairs well with pasta with sausage, portabella mushroom burger, roasted vegetables and weekday takeaway.
How should I serve Noble Vines 181 Merlot?
Serve at 60-65°F. Optional 15-20 minutes to open up the oak spice and dark fruit. Glass: Standard red wine glass or Bordeaux-style glass.
Is Noble Vines 181 Merlot a good value?
Today it is $10.99, $4.00 (27%) below its recorded compare-at price of $14.99. It also holds a verified 92-point score from Wine Enthusiast.
What is the bottle size and alcohol content of Noble Vines 181 Merlot?
750 ml bottle, 14% alcohol by volume.