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.

Deep crimson in colour with aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, and graphite, layered with hints of cedar and tobacco. The palate is powerful yet refined, showing concentrated black fruit, fine-grained tannins, and balanced acidity. Long, elegant finish with notes of dark chocolate and subtle spice, promising excellent cellaring potential.

A relatively new name but Dog Point's owners have years of experience in Marlborough and this label is much sought after. This release is beautifully textured rich and delicious.

The 2017 Moonambel Shiraz is eminently balanced and refined on the nose, with blood, minerals and flowers in equal measure. This is super composed, balanced and, as far as wine drinking pleasure goes, a triumph. There are notes of cardamom pod, sandalwood, scraped vanilla pod, pomegranate molasses, crushed rocks and kicked earth, and the layers of flavor are defined by very fine, ductile, tannic texture and support. Super

Named of the sundial erected in the vineyard in 1842, Wehlener Sonnenuhr is the most famous vineyard in the Mosel. Extremely steep with optimal south-south west exposure, it yields fragrantly floral wines with ripe stone fruit aromas, underlying slately minerality and wonderful depth of flavour and structure. The Spatlese wines are very reticent in youth, blossoming between two and four years of age to display vibrant green apple, and white stone-fruit notes supported by a backbone of racy acidity.

Graacher Himmelreich is a renowned vineyard that borders the southern edge of its more famous neighbour Wehlener Sonnenuhr. The Spatlese examples typically show lime and lemon sherbety aromas with savoury and honeyed overtones and pronounced slately minerality carried along by signature Mosel racy acidity.

Coming from one of the best vintages in recent Barossa history, the Old Block from St Hallett shows what careful vineyard management can do for a wine. Rich, dark and conerntrated but with seamless tannin intergration.