Two words come to mind when you mention great Australian Merlot. Jim Irivne. Jim's Grand Merlot is the benchmark of complex and elegant Merlot in Australia and his Eden Valley vineyards are the perfect place to produce this iconic wine.

Coming from one of the best vintages in recent Barossa history, the Old Block from St Hallett shows what careful vineyard management can do for a wine. Rich, dark and conerntrated but with seamless tannin intergration.

From vines yielding less than 1 tonne/acre, 100% whole bunch, natural yeast ferment, 100% new oak. A powerful and structural Pinot Noir by Lethbridge. An unusual presentation of the MV6 clone in the Estate vineyard produces fruit of great density of flavour, and very low yield (0.5 tonnes/acre). This wine was fermented with 100% whole bunch inclusion and had pre-fermentation maceration for 7-10 days. Wild yeast fermentation in small open vats proceeded with daily pigéage. Pressing was straight to barrel (100% new French oak) to allow for gross lees contact and natural MLF.

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.

Château Clinet is a rising star in the small Right Bank region of Pomerol. With its gravely soil mixed with sand, Château Clinet has gradually increased the Merlot component of the wine to produce a voluptuous, smooth and yet still complex red wine that is both pleasing upon release and turns into a read star with a few years in the cellar.

House of Arras was born of an ambition to create world class sparkling wines that showcases both winemaker and region. Ed Carr's House of Arras Rosé marries exceptional cold climate Tasmanian vineyards and uncompromising sparkling winemaking techniques mastered over decades. A sophisticated rosé style with an exceptional balance of red fruits and the complexity of extended age. Intense flavour and structure, with an excellent natural acidity, this is the prime example of why Ed Carr is considered Australia's greatest sparkling wine maker.

This delicate Champagne, in keeping with the Lanson Style, was one of the first Rosé Champagnes. With more than 50 years of experience in making Rosé Champagne, Lanson Rose Label is one of the most sought-after Champagnes.Lanson Rose Labels unmistakeable originality is its most attractive feature along with the harmonious balance it strikes between fullness and freshness.

Lanson Black Label continues to stand out in the non vintage Champagne crowd with its quality consistency year after year. Lanson, with its pedigree and history that rivals any Champagne house, is easily one of the best value non vintage Champagne's, with its fine and elegant palate that continues right across the tongue. A soft and pure texture follows showcasing the delicate acid structure of one of the true Champagne bargains.

One of the benchmarks of Barossa Shiraz, Peter Lehmann's Stonewell is a classic example of the rich concentrated old vine style. While bold on the palate, there is always an inherent complexity to the Stonewell that enables it to be compared with all of the great Australian wines produced today.

Australia's first boutique winery, Lake's Folly Cabernets is an Australian wine treasure. More Bordeaux in nature than most, the Cabernets is a wine of pristine purity and elegance. With a sense of place that can be tasted in every bottle across all vintages, Lake's Folly Cabernets is a must have for all serious wine collectors and lovers. The 2010 is a young, robust version that will require some time in the cellar to really show its complex characteristics and refined palate.