Fragrance comparison

Black Cherry Merlot vs Château de Velours

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 24 Oct 2026 326 ratings analysed

Black Cherry Merlot

Bath & Body Works

4.15311 votes

Rank #16,259 FruitySweet

Full profile Similar & dupes

48%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Château de Velours

INSENF

4.6715 votes

Rank #19,092 WineFruity

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Château de Velours takes 3 of 5 categories.

Black Cherry Merlot
Choose it for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter.
Château de Velours
Choose it for a wine and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Black Cherry Merlot2/5

Château de Velours3/5

Ratings & consensus: Château de Velours
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Château de Velours
Sillage & projection: Château de Velours
Value for money: Black Cherry Merlot
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Black Cherry Merlot

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Black Cherry MerlotBath & Body Works

Château de VeloursINSENF

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.15/ 5 · 311 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

4.67/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 16%Had 4%Want 80%

Category winnerChâteau de VeloursRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

44%Love

33%Like

10%Ok

9%Dislike

4%Hate

300 votes

87%Love

7%Like

0%Ok

0%Dislike

7%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity44

〰 Sillage44

♥ Love / hate77

⏱ Longevity86

〰 Sillage65

♥ Love / hate92

Category winners

LongevityChâteau de Velours

SillageChâteau de Velours

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value76

¤ Price value59

Category winnerBlack Cherry MerlotBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

fruity100%

sweet86%

wine72%

cherry58%

nutty44%

almond30%

wine100%

fruity91%

chocolate83%

sweet74%

warm spicy65%

mossy56%

Scent match48%Some overlap · both fruity, wine and sweet

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Notes

RaspberryRed WineSour Cherry

No top / heart / base split published

Top

ChocolateBlackcurrantWild StrawberryDavanaRaspberry

Heart

Red WinePinot Noir grapesHoney

Base

OakmossVelvetPatchouli

InformationalShared notesRaspberry and Red Wine. Note durations are not published for these fragrances, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring66

Summer0

Fall0

Winter100

Day–

Night–

Spring92

Summer42

Fall100

Winter92

Day78

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex14

Women86

Men0

Unisex92

Women8

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#16,259

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews5

Overall rank#19,092

PerfumerCamille Chemardin

Launched—

Reviews5

Category winnerBlack Cherry MerlotHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Black Cherry Merlot is a fruity, gourmand-adjacent fragrance that highlights the contrast between tart sour cherry and deep red wine accords. Launched in 2019, this scent offers a straightforward, jammy sweetness suitable for casual autumn days. It sits close to the skin, providing a warm, inviting presence that avoid…

Reviews →

Château de Velours by INSENF is a unisex Eau de Parfum that centers on a rich Pinot Noir grape and chocolate accord. Launched in 2025, it balances tart red wine nuances with sweet honey and dark patchouli. This fragrance provides a sophisticated, wine-inspired sensory experience ideal for autumn evenings or relaxed so…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Black Cherry Merlot or Château de Velours?

Château de Velours takes 3 of 5 categories. Black Cherry Merlot is rated 4.15/5 from 311 votes; Château de Velours is rated 4.67/5 from 15 votes. Choose Black Cherry Merlot for a fruity and sweet character. Wins on value for money and fragranxe ranking. Best in winter. Choose Château de Velours for a wine and fruity character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, Black Cherry Merlot or Château de Velours?

Château de Velours lasts longest (Château de Velours 86/100, Black Cherry Merlot 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Black Cherry Merlot or Château de Velours?

Château de Velours projects furthest (Château de Velours 65/100, Black Cherry Merlot 44/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Black Cherry Merlot and Château de Velours smell similar?

Some overlap: a 48% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fruity, wine and sweet accords. Common notes include Raspberry and Red Wine.

Is Black Cherry Merlot or Château de Velours better for summer or winter?

Château de Velours suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Black Cherry Merlot and Château de Velours?

Black Cherry Merlot features Raspberry, Red Wine and Sour Cherry. Château de Velours has top notes of Chocolate, Blackcurrant, Wild Strawberry and Davana, heart notes of Red Wine, Pinot Noir grapes and Honey, a base of Oakmoss, Velvet and Patchouli.