Lifted ripe plums and a red berry fruit notes complimented by hints of clove and vanilla bean spices. The palate has a supple fruit core of juicy dark plum and bright red berry fruit notes dominate, held together by fine grained tannins across the mid palate with a lovely acid line. Evans & Tate

John Tate's Shiraz Cab Merlot is a beauty of a red blend fresh from Western Australia. With luscious red fruit and plush dark berries, it delivers mouth-filling flavour on a soft, lengthy palate, that will pair like a dream with a rich roast lamb dinner.

Bimbadgen Ridge Shiraz Cabernet Merlot is a medium bodied wine that combines the firm fruity characters of Shiraz with the length and finish of Cabernet and soft fleshy Merlot.

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.

Howard Park are Western Australia's largest family-owned winery whose reputation is unsurpassed. Their Madfish range of wines continue to provide great value-for-money while still offering that Western Australian quality we've all come to enjoy. The Cabernet Merlot has a luscious smooth ripe flavour profile without being sweet with regional notes of black olives and eucalypt.

Regarded by many as a candidate for wine of the 2009 Bordeaux vintage. A huge accolade indeed for La Mission Haut-Brion considering the quite phenomenal wines being released. The 2009 can boast a colour that is almost impenetrable and a exciting bouquet of blackberry, truffles and spicy earth. The concentration of the palate is something to behold itself. A vinosity that is hard to find elsewhere, the flavours in the mouth follow on from the nose in nice order, yet the sheer power of the wine quite extraordinary. Layers of flavours continue throughout the palate and continue well into its length. Will no doubt be in short supply as all clamour to get a piece of this Bordeaux masterpiece.

The ability to source fruit away from their home base in the Hunter is paying dividends for Brokenwood. This Cricket Pitch is a ripe, fully flavoured red blend - this is the ideal BBQ companion.

This Cabernet Merlot exhibits ripe cassis, dark chocolate and licorice aromas. High notes of cedary oak and bay leaf add further complexity. The palate unfolds in a myriad of layers of ripe blackcurrant and red fruit interwoven with savoury oak. The long and flavoursome finish is well supported by dry and fine grained tannins.

A Coonawarra Merlot is worth pausing for and this one is no different. From the Riddoch vineyard, this Cabernet Merlot has spicy chocolate and plum aromas and smooth, supple tannins. This flavoursome Merlot can be enjoyed straight away or aged for three to five years.