When you open the bottle of Capel Vale Debut Merlot, the warming aroma of ripe plums, mulberry and briary notes fills your glass. A great balance of the acidity, juicy red fruits and soft tannins delivers an enjoyable wine with a med savoury finish.

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.

Pure Vision's Organic Merlot is an outstanding value Merlot, taking on bottle aged secondary flavours of poached plum and soft tannins, yet still vibrant and youthful in spirit. Delicious.

LTCf stands for 'little touch of cabernet franc'. This classic Bordeaux blend has plenty of rich and concentrated flavours with fine tannins.

Dollar for dollar, wines such as this truly are remarkable value. Soft, round with flavours of ripe plums, blackcurrant and a finely grained mouthfeel.

The Smith & Hooper Cabernet Merlot is a harmonious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot displaying aromas of red berries, eucalypt and a hint of vanilla. Flavours of mulberries, cherry and blackcurrants fill out the smoothly textured palate.

Voyager Estate has quickly earned itself a seat at the head of the table in Australia when it comes to elegant, and classic Cabernet. Appealing aromas of ripe blackcurrant chocolate and that distinctive Margaret River forest floor character. The palate is powerful yet balanced with concentrated red berry fruits. The Voyager Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is a magnificent wine to lay down for a decade or more and will repay the patient in spades.

Woodlands were one of the 'first wave' of wineries to set up in the Margaret River in the early 1970s and today that heritage is in the capable hands of Andrew and Stuart Watson, sons of the pioneering David. The Margaret Cabernet Merlot displays aromas of rosemary, leather and spice winding through blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. The palate is a reflection of the nose, and is bolstered by eucalypt, bay leaf and cranberry flavours.

Temple Bruer continues to be one of the standout Organic producers in Australia with flavoursome and richly textured wines. This Cabernet Merlot has the great bonus of being Preservative Free for those with sensitivies to Sulpher Dioxide.

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.