Can Woodbridge Do it Twice?

Name: Woodbridge - Merlot

Variety: Merlot

Country/Region: California

Year/Price: NV, $13 (Magnum)

Critique Review: The wine has aromas of blackberries and cherries, and flavors of plums, red fruit, and cocoa. Coupled with supple tannins, hints of spice and mocha give this wine a complex character and good structure. Oak aging adds comforting vanilla accents to the smooth finish.

Reference Flavors: Black cherry, plum, raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, cedar, mocha, bay leaf, fig, blackberry

My Review:

On the eyes, this Woodbridge Merlot pours a similar medium red as the Cab Sauv, though perhaps a touch duller. Viscosity is light, and it moves quickly in the glass. On the nose, I get some muted dark fruit—maybe plum and blackberry—but there’s a flatness to it, and the aromatic profile fades pretty quickly.

On the palate, this Merlot feels thinner and less structured than the Cabernet. The flavor leans toward watered-down cherry with a vague cocoa note in the background, but it’s a bit washed out. The finish is soft, with very little tannin or grip—more of a short fade than a lingering impression. Nothing offensive, just kind of forgettable.

I picked this up as a $13 magnum, so expectations were set accordingly. Still, compared to the Woodbridge Cab, which punches above its price point, this Merlot feels like it lands right where the price says it should—drinkable, but not memorable.

I paired this with a simple weeknight dinner—grilled chicken and roasted veggies—and while it didn’t clash, it didn’t elevate the meal either. A background player at best. If you’re choosing between the two, the Cab Sauv still gets my vote every time.