When it comes to Australian Merlot, Katnook is among the very best. Lovely plum dark berry and cedary cigar box characters slip seamlessly into a finish that seems everlasting. Aged for 22 months in French oak, the swathes of blackcurrant are a delight to the senses.

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.

Your quest for the best sub-$20 Merlot is over. One of McLaren Vale's most explosive producers of the past 10-15 years is offered here on an silver platter. Everything you love about Merlot in one bottle; luscious black fruits with soft cuddly tannins and hints of spiced coffee.

One of Australia's signature blends, Shiraz Cabernet has the best of both worlds: Spices and jammy black berries from a Shiraz plus Cabernet's firm tannin structure and ripe blackcurrant aromas. Hand crafted by Ben Riggs in the South Australia, Jip Jip Rocks is family own winery with great value.

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.

Grosset Gaia Cabernet is one distinguished CabernetBring it on! By Gaia standards, its plump and plush with sweet fruit, rich dark chocolate and tannin presence. Gaia is always a wonderful long-term cellaring option, as is the case with the '08, but this vintage the added bonus of up front fruit enables immediate enjoyment.

The Moss Wood Amy's offers undeniable Moss Wood quality at an easily affordable price. Beautifully soft yet full-bodied it shows pristine varietal character impeccable balance and is simply a pleasure to drink - whether it be upon its release when it shows optimum primary fruit and robust texture or after a few years in the cellar when the classic secondary characters begin to wonderfully take control.

Quality Margaret River Cabernet at an affordable price! Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon has rich fruit with overtones of mulberries, chocolate and a hint of violets. It is well balanced with subtle oak, some cedary, herbal notes and fine tannins on the finish.

Brown Brothers Cienna, with all its generous fruit sweetness is a joyous lower alcohol red that is a truly easy drinking style. The nose is filled with juicy berry aromas and the palate is soft flavoursome and slightly spritzy.

The Eden Hall Cabernet Sauvignon from the Eden Valley is a wonderfully striking Cabernet with swathes of lifted violets, ripe plums and blackcurrant all supported by a quality oak regime that has integrated brilliantly. While youthful the wine is plump and juicy, it will age very nicely and improve with some careful cellaring over the next decade.