The Bethany Cabernet Merlot from the Schrapel family's Bethany winery exhibits herbal blackberry and cherry flavours with subtle oak in the background. Drinking well now, but also can handle a little bit of medium term cellaring to really coax those soft, ripe tannins to infuse beautifully with its primary fruit.

Ashtonishing value and pedigree are on offer with the Mouton Cadet Rouge - a historical wine created by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in the 1930s. With access to some of Bordeaux's finest appellations, the Mouton Cadet is considered the premier affordable Bordeaux wine on the market today. Hard to argue when attractive notes of blueberry, morello cherry and blackcurrant simply cascade from the glass creating a truly memorable red wine experience. Sourced from growers from limestone rich soils of the Entre-Deux-Mers and Côtes de Bordeaux to the clay soils around Blaye and the gravel rich Côtes de Bourg. All contributing to what is possibly the bargain old world wine of the year.

Audrey Wilkinsons Merlot is a mellow, easy approaching style that is packed with ripe plum aromas and subtle oak. It is matured in French and American oak for 18 months, giving the wine soft tannins and a flavoursome finish.

From one of Margaret River's best and original producers, Vasse Felix comes this excellent Cabernet Merlot blend has great concentration of blackcurrant fruit with cedary oak and fine tannins - a style with elegance and finesse rather than power.

A typically elegant Yarra Cabernet. The nose shows cassis and blackberry aromas with subtle cedary oak and the palate has a silky mouthfeel with sweet berry flavours and a lovely lingering finish.

Balnaves has always produced a a classically elegant Coonawarra Cabernet. Blackcurrant fruit, liquorice and mineral characters are enhanced by cedary French oak. Beautifully balanced with a long, textured finish.

Amelia Park, although a recent player in the Margaret River Wine scene, have made an astonishing impact. Jeremy Gordon takes a hands on approach to all things at his winery and the results are for everyone to see. Already a multi award-winner, the Amelia Park Cabernet Merlot is a seamless wine that is wonderfully medium-bodied with a fine acid backbone that simply sings from beginning to end.

McGuigan produce another fantastically smooth and rich Merlot from their Black Label range. It is a soft and flavoursome wine with ripe fruit flavours of raspberry, cherry and plums integrated with subtle oak.

Champions of cool-climate New South Wales, Logan have produced a Merlot with balanced fruit sweetness with true complexity. There is plenty of smooth, rich and voluptuous fruit on offer while fine-grained tannin and structured acid add a further dimension to this luscious wine. One could certainly argue that this is the perfect food match wine.

Vasse Felix produces fine Margaret River reds with great balance and style. This traditional blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon shows sweet mid-palate fruit with liquorice and spice and good tannin structure. Fantastic French oak integration enabling soft tannin complexity and a lovely length of flavour.