Woodlands Cabernet Merlot is one of the regions best examples. The Watson brothers are the custodians of a family heritage in Margaret River that continues to this day. The Cabernet Merlot has attractive and complex aromas of dark berry and plum supported by well integrated vanillin oak. The palate shows similar characters with outstanding length of flavour and perfect balance. Drink now or cellar short term.

Dense crimson‑garnet hue leads into aromas of black cherry and bramble fruit layered with sandalwood, peppercorn and a whisper of truffle. The palate is elegant yet powerful — ripe dark plums and cassis, framed by fine, chalky tannins and warm cedar oak, finishing long with forest‑floor depth and an echo of spice.

Ripe and generous, the leafy, minty characters of Cabernet are complemented by the softness and plummy fruit coming from the Merlot. A nice touch of sweet oak completes the picture.

The 2008 marks the 25th anniversary of Dalwhinnie Chardonnay in the Pyrenees in western Victoria, and the wine is still not missing a beat. With less oak used now than in previous vintages, the wine exhibits magnificent citrus and mineral flavours and aromas with a delicate honey flavour notes and texture. A truly elegant wine.

Yellow Tail Merlot is soft and supple, with sweet, plum and cherry flavours and a hint of liquorice or anise. Merlot is an excellent alternative to the heavier and more tannic red varieties.

From a 37-acre vineyard, Château Pavie Macquin is stunningly situated on the clay-limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion on the right bank of Bordeaux. 2010 has produced a formidable wine: a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a top release of the harvest year and a highlight from St-Émillion in 2010. Tannins, restraint and inward concentration are motifs, this is a wine for the patient, sophisticated collector who wishes to embellish a cellar with pedigree wines that need time and maturity to come to the fore.

This 2014 Rosabrook Cabernet Merlot is one of the Margaret River's signature wine styles. Great licks of black fruit from the Cabernet Sauvignon interlaced with the smooth plum characters on Merlot. It is a beautifully made wine with great balance and a lengthy finish. It will be great with meat dishes or even a cheese platter. Owned by Calneggia Family Vineyards, one of Margaret River's pioneering grape growers with winemaker legend Brian Fletcher pulling the winemaking levers.

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.

McGuigan provides a luscious and smooth drinking Cabernet Merlot here with nice concentration from the Cabernet Sauvignon balanced well with smooth, silky Merlot. Plums and blackcurrants cover the palate complimented by a silky finish.

Deep purple color. Aroma: Sharp fruity flavors with herbaceous notes. Flavor: A deep flavor profile with savoury and spicy notes, typical of the region's Cabernet Sauvignon.