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Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot

Sterling Vineyards · California · United States

89 pts · Wine Enthusiast87 pts · Wine Enthusiast
$10.99$14.99 save $4.00 (27%)

Currently out of stock — similar wines you can buy today are listed below.

Why it’s a great value

Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot is $10.99 today against a recorded compare-at price of $14.99 — a saving of $4.00 (27%). It carries a verified 89-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 cherry with cocoa, cinnamon, toasted oak and a soft, dry finish.

You’ll like this if…

Choose this if you like smooth California Merlot, softer red blends, or Cabernet-style flavors without firm Cabernet tannin.

Why buy it

A reliable under-$15 California Merlot from an established producer, with a recent 89-point Wine Enthusiast review for the 2022 vintage.

Best for

Casual dinners, barbecue chicken, lamb chops, burgers, tomato-sauce pasta and easy entertaining.

Style

Dry, fruit-forward, medium-to-full-bodied California Merlot with plush fruit and toasted-oak accents.

Drinks like

California Merlot, soft red blends, approachable Central Coast Cabernet-Merlot blends

Experience level

Beginner-friendly

Flavor notes

Fruitcherryplumblackberryred berries
Floraldried violets
Earthearthleather
Oaktoasted oakmochacocoa
Spicecinnamonbaking spiceclovecardamom
Othercoffeeorange peel

Pairs well with

Beef: mushroom-topped burger

Lamb: grilled lamb chops(winery pick)

Poultry: barbecued chicken(winery pick) · roast turkey(winery pick)

Pasta: pasta with tomato sauce(winery pick)

Best occasions

weeknight dinnerbackyard barbecuecasual party redpizza and pasta nightglass-after-work red

Serving & enjoying

Serving temperature:
60-65°F
Decanting:
Not required; open 10-15 minutes before serving if desired.
Glassware:
Standard red wine glass or Bordeaux-style glass.
Drink or cellar:
Drink now; this is an approachable current-release Merlot rather than a cellar wine.
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

Sterling Vintner's Collection Merlot is a smooth California red with ripe cherry, plum and cocoa notes, accented by cinnamon spice and soft tannins. It is an easygoing, fruit-forward Merlot for weeknight dinners, barbecue and casual entertaining.

Wine details

Type
red
Varietal
Merlot
Grapes
Merlot
Producer
Sterling Vineyards
Country
United States
Region
California
Appellation
California
Bottle size
750 Ml
ABV
13.5%

Details last verified September 18, 2026

Explore

Winemaking details ›
Vineyard source:
The exact vineyard source for the current shelf release was not found on an official product page. Exact-product retail copy describes fruit from California, and some retailer copy mentions California's Central Coast.
About the winery · Sterling Vineyards ›

Sterling Vineyards was founded in Napa Valley in 1964 by Peter Newton and Michael Stone. The winery bottled California's first vintage-dated Merlot in 1969, an important milestone for Merlot as a varietal wine in the state. Sterling is also known for its hilltop Calistoga winery and aerial gondola, and the producer states that its property is powered by 100% renewable electricity. The Vintner's Collection label represents Sterling's broad, approachable California wine style rather than its Reserve or single-vineyard tiers.

Sustainability

Winery property powered by 100% renewable electricity · Producer sustainability statement; certification not stated ↗

Critic reviews

89/100Wine Enthusiast

“Dried red fruits, orange peel, coriander seed, toasted oak, earth, baking spice, red berries and a supple dry finish.”

Reviewed: Sterling 2022 Vintner's Collection Merlot (California) (2022) — Clara Dalzell, 2025-07-01 · source

87/100Wine Enthusiast

“Dried violets, coffee, toasted wood, dried cherry, prune, leather, balancing acidity and chalky tannin structure.”

Reviewed: Sterling 2021 Vintner's Collection Merlot (California) (2021) — Stacy Briscoe, 2023-04-01 · source
Trade up

Josh Cellars Merlot

Merlot · California

$14.99

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Frequently asked questions

Is Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot dry or sweet?
Sterling Vineyards Vintner's 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 Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot taste like?
Ripe plum and cherry with cocoa, cinnamon, toasted oak and a soft, dry finish.
What food pairs with Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot?
It pairs well with barbecued chicken, grilled lamb chops, roast turkey, pasta with tomato sauce and mushroom-topped burger.
How should I serve Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot?
Serve at 60-65°F. Not required; open 10-15 minutes before serving if desired. Glass: Standard red wine glass or Bordeaux-style glass.
Is Sterling Vineyards Vintner's 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 89-point score from Wine Enthusiast.
What is the bottle size and alcohol content of Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Merlot?
750 ml bottle, 13.5% alcohol by volume.