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!

From the stable of Devils Lair, Fifth Leg is a blend of Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot that is a soft and supple drink-now style. The quality of the Margaret River fruit gives it flavour which will appeal to the serious red wine drinker as well.

Tempus Two Merlot is deliciously ripe, lovely flavours of mulberry fruit with some earthiness and spice. Soft tannins complement the finish.

Soft rounded and fruit-driven this is a good example of the approachable easy drinking Merlot variety. Generous plummy flavour with just a touch of oak and light tannins make this wine enjoyable now.</p>

Smith and Hopper is a stand alone arm of the impressive Hill Smith wine machine. Stand alone vineyards offer quality and real value for money. Wonderful earthy cedar and berries on the nose make this wine instantly attractive. The palate is rich and savoury, velvety in texture and spicy on the finish. Enjoy this full-bodied Merlot now or cellar till 2013.

Restrained red fruit with a background of menthol, leather and tobacco on the nose leads to a big mouthful of cherries, vanilla and plums with good intensity. A nicely balanced wine, drinking very well.

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 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.

One of the established names of Coonawarra, Redman Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from hand pruned low yielding mature vines. Ripe blackcurrant fruit and vanillin oak make this fine drinking now.