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.

Petaluma Merlot is medium body with a brick red colour, the superbly perfumed bouquet is a tangle of marzipan, spice, plum and confectionery and is the best nose of the early Petalumas. On the palate, flavours of cherry, plum and spice emerge, with very good depth and complexity.

The warm even climate of the Murphy family's Trentham vineyard is ideally suited to producing rich softly textured Merlot with toasty oak and berry flavours - great with lamb!

A pioneer of Merlot, James Irvine has produced an attractive plump style with leafy plum and mulberry flavours. The perfect match with crown of lamb.

Further testament to both vine age and the merits & complexity of this blend, which allow the wine to rise above an otherwise challenging year. Classic blackcurrant, cigar box and tapenade aromas, overlaid with notes of violet, Christmas cake and sweet spices, lead onto a supple, savoury and effortless palate that builds towards a long & lively finish.

Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon has a generous and beautifully structured palate, layered with dense fruits of the forest, ripe tannins and a persistent fruit finish. Taking all before it at the recent Dan Murphy's National Wine Show of Australia, this Xanadu Cabernet will be snapped up quickly!

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.

Attractive blackcurrant fruit characters and a hint of mint are well matched with toasty oak to give a well rounded finish in this easy drinking blend which delivers outstanding value for money.

Notes of mint and five-spice are evident on a sturdily constructed palate of black olive, herbs and dark fruits alongside fine, ripe tannins that will support the development of additional character and complexity if cellared.

Cult winery from McLaren Vale, Noon Winery is known for producing red wines of utmost power and concentration. Not beholden to the trend of lower-alcohol, leaner styles, Drew and Raegan Noon produce block-buster reds that are in huge demand the world over. Their Reserve Cabernet is sourced from the 'Fruit Trees' block in Langehorne Cree, a vineyard owned by the Borrett family. Described as a