Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

It’s time to give Merlot its due. The grape is reemerging on California’s wine scene, where it can make exceptional red wines—witness Duckhorn’s Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard 2014, which was Wine Spectator‘s Wine of the Year in 2017. The recent rise in quality comes in part because vintners have focused on regions and sites where the grape excels.

Today’s selection casts a wide net, with enticing options stretching from Napa and Sonoma to the Central Coast. More than half of these wines cost less than $25, so you won’t have to break the bank to explore the different styles and regions on offer.

Topping the list is San Simeon‘s rich and spicy bottling from the Quarry Heights Vineyard in Paso Robles. Farther north in Sonoma, Merlot makes its case in the Alexander and Dry Creek valleys with versions from Matanzas Creek and Frei Brothers, which are structured and loaded with the grape’s classic red fruit and herbal flavors. And Markham represents Napa Valley with its kitchen-sink blend that shows off Merlot’s velvety texture.

SAN SIMEON Merlot Paso Robles Estate Reserve 2014 Score: 90 | $22
A big, rich and spicy red, with lots of loamy accents to the ripe plum and dark cherry flavors. The creamy finish lingers with chocolaty notes. Drink now through 2020. 750 cases made.—Kim Marcus

HAPPY CANYON VINEYARDS Piocho Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara 2014 Score: 89 | $32
Fresh and well-sculpted flavors of red plum and raspberry tart are buoyantly juicy and spicy in this red. Hints of red peach show on the juicy finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2020. 1,046 cases made.—K.M.

MATANZAS CREEK Merlot Alexander Valley 2015 Score: 89 | $28
Concentrated cherry and red plum flavors define this pure and minerally version. Savory herb and spice details show on the finish, with firm tannins. Drink now through 2021. 2,000 cases made.—K.M.

FREI BROTHERS Merlot Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Reserve 2016 Score: 88 | $20
Lots of brambly notes and dried cherry flavors in this open-textured style. Flinty accents emerge on the structured finish. Drink now. 16,500 cases made.—K.M.

MADDALENA Merlot Paso Robles 2014 Score: 88 | $18
Lots of fresh-crushed berry and red plum flavors in this minerally style. The zesty finish has some peppery notes. Drink now. 2,000 cases made.—K.M.

MARKHAM Cellar 1879 Blend Napa Valley 2015 Score: 88 | $27
Offers a velvety texture to the ripe cherry, nectarine and red currant flavors. Hints of dried tarragon and red licorice show on the finish. Merlot, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 13,000 cases made.—K.M.

NAPA CELLARS Merlot Napa Valley 2016 Score: 88 | $25
Offers undercurrents of cocoa powder and hints of paprika to the lively red fruit and spice flavors. Medium-grain tannins turn silky on the finish. Drink now. 8,000 cases made.—K.M.

ELIZABETH ROSE Chockablock Napa Valley 2016 Score: 87 | $20
Features plenty of graphite accents to the dried red fruit and berry flavors. Coffee bean and mocha notes emerge on the finish. Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 2,500 cases made.—K.M.

FOLIE DEUX Merlot Alexander Valley 2016 Score: 87 | $20
Red currant, dried green herb and graphite flavors are supported by muscular tannins in this focused red, with a chewy finish. Drink now. 7,150 cases made.—K.M.

PEDRONCELLI Merlot Dry Creek Valley Bench Vineyards 2016 Score: 87 | $18
Cedar, spice, and dried red fruit flavors linger with sanguine accents in this red, featuring a minerally finish that’s fresh and focused. Drink now. 2,500 cases made.—K.M.

Tasting Highlights’ wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors’ most recent scores and notes to WineSpectator.com members.

Napa is Cabernet country, but the valley also excels with other red Bordeaux grapes, both in blends and as standalone bottlings. Leading the pack in today’s selection, Merlot has long been a staple in Napa, where it’s the third-most planted variety. Both Merlot and Cabernet take center-stage in these picks, with most of the wines available for $35 or less, making them solid bargains.

Merlot has seen a surge in quality in recent years, as demonstrated by the complex version from Castello di Amorosa, which shows the powerful and structured side of the grape. On the value side, Oberon‘s 2015 Merlot made Wine Spectator‘s Top 100 Wines of 2017 for its quality and value, and the 2016 vintage is a return to form. (Merlot also gained the top spot of the list in 2017, with the Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms 2014 awarded Wine of the Year.)

Napa Cabernet prices often jump into the triple-digit range, but it’s possible to find exciting wines that won’t break the bank. Robert Mondavi‘s entry-level Cabernet is a perennial good value; the 2015 bottling is rich and polished, with savory accents. And at $25, Roots Run Deep is a widely available and easy-drinking version worth seeking out.

CASTELLO DI AMOROSA Merlot Napa Valley 2014 Score: 90 | $42
A muscular and powerful style, with dense dark fruit flavors that feature hints of mocha. Dried green herb accents show on the chiseled finish, along with plenty of tannins. Drink now through 2022. 2,388 cases made.—Kim Marcus

ST. SUPÉRY Merlot Rutherford 2015 Score: 90 | $50
Finely textured, with olive tapenade accents to the dried berry and savory herbal flavors. The minerally finish is long and taut. Drink now through 2022. 1,710 cases made.—K.M.

ROBERT MONDAVI Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 Score: 88 | $35
Savory, with herb, dill, cedar, loamy earth and dried berry flavors, this is rich and polished, full and expansive, ending with a strong charry oak aftertaste that will likely fade with time. Drink now through 2028. 57,416 cases made.—James Laube

OBERON Merlot Napa Valley 2016 Score: 88 | $23
Loamy tasting, with smoky accents to the red currant, roasted plum and dried berry flavors. Mocha and spice details show on the finish. Drink now through 2021. 5,400 cases made.—K.M.

ROUND POND ESTATE Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Kith & Kin 2016 Score: 88 | $35
A winner, offering a charming mix of smoky oak, pure ripe dark berry, spice and cedar flavors, with an appealing texture. Drink now through 2024. 16,100 cases made.—J.L.

OBERON Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County 2016 Score: 87 | $25
Plump and juicy, this goes down easy. The kind wine you want to have around for everyday enjoyment. Drink now. 66,735 cases made.—J.L.

ROOTS RUN DEEP Cabernet Sauvignon Napa County Educated Guess 2016 Score: 87 | $25
Clean and complex, if on a modest scale, with spicy oak joining fresh, juicy plum and dark berry flavors. Drink now. 90,000 cases made.—J.L.

TEXTBOOK Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2016 Score: 87 | $29
Makes for a charming drink, with firm, chewy cedar, dark berry, tobacco and loamy earth flavors. Drink now. 3,400 cases made.—J.L.