Wynns 'Red Stripe' Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot continues to be a market leader and beacon for quality wine at an affordable price. Cabernet brings cassis and mint, while spice and plummy fruit is provided by the Shiraz and Merlot. Drink now or cellar for a year or two.

The gravelly soils and sunny climate of Hawkes Bay are producing some of New Zealand's most exciting reds. This classy Merlot from Oyster Bay shows soft spicy varietal flavours such as, juicy plums and ripe dark fruits. Accompanied by well intergraded oak and subtle tannins, making this wine one of the easier matching to food.

Krondorf is a name synonymous with the Barossa Valley with a long and prestigious history. Beginning life with the establishment of the Glenview winery back in the 1850s, Krondorf was reinvigorated by Grant Burge in 1978 and today has gone on to become one of the country's most awarded wineries. The Shiraz is a class-A, born and bred, full-bodied Barossa red. Bright garnet in colour with a vibrant nose of mulberry and hints of sweet strawberry. In balance tannin and acid balance along with a superb long length make this Barossan a wonderful value-for-money buy.

Brands Laira is an iconic winery, nestled in the heart of the famed terra rossa strip of the Coonawarra region in South Australia. Steeped in heritage, the Laira Vineyard was planted back in 1893 and is one of the oldest working blocks in the region. Brands Laira offers a range of elegant yet richly flavoured premium wines from this distinct region

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.

The Composer is a vivid dark magenta red colour with a crimson hue. Lush eucalyptus and red fruit aromas are paired with a bright, flavour filled, medium weighted palate of cassis and red berries. Subtle oak integration enhances the smooth and balanced finish.

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.

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.

Leconfield Merlot has big and juicy dark fruits, soft tannins all supported by lovely French oak. Paul Gordon continues to produce a serious Merlot for a great price, year in, year out. His Merlot is also one that will benefit from a little sit in the medium term cellar.

Pepper Tree have quickly established themselves as one of the showcases of not only the Hunter Valley region, but the other three regions where they source premium fruit from; Orange, Wrattonbully and Coonawarra. Award winning winemaker, Jim Chatto is at the helm of this progressive winery and here he produces a Cabernet Sauvignon of upmost class and complexity. A nice nose of cassis and dark berries with a hint of oak, ripe rich fruit that fills the mouth with blackcurrants and soft tannins.

The Brand's Laira Blockers Cabernet is a Coonawarra red with classic varietal definition. The nose shows cedar, red berry and tobacco notes. The palate is rich, long and beautifully texturally structured. A multi-award winner, the Blockers can be enjoyed now or cellared in the medium term.