Church Road is one of the oldest wineries in New Zealand. Led by legendary winemaker Tom McDonald, they were one of the first to craft exceptional Bordeaux-style red wine in Hawkes Bay. Today, they still maintain Toms vision of quality and craft in all the wines they make. Church Roads commitment to centuries-old winemaking techniques using French oak wine vats and French oak barriques remains undiminished. The winery is celebrating Tom McDonalds vision and legacy with the Church Road McDonald Series, complex, textural wines that are a fitting tribute to a legend whose influence is still felt today. This is a serious, multidimensional Merlot. The heart of this wine is its dense, brooding plum and dark berry fruit. This is complimented by lifted aromas reminiscent of roses, cedar, sandalwood and warm spice, while the oak delivers underlying dark chocolate and savoury notes. The palate is rich, weighty and long driven by a firm yet fine-grained tannin structure.

With its attractive garnet hue, the Château de L’Abbaye wines are defined by an intense bouquet laden with blueberries and plums and delicate oaky nuances. The palate allies power with finesse, revealing robust tannins and a persistent, fruity finish. A delicious, delicate Haut-Médoc wine, that can be enjoyed on its own. Château de L’Abbaye is located in the district of Vertheuil in the Médoc, close to the prestigious appellation of Saint-Estèphe. Its name was inspired by the famous Vertheuil Abbey (“Abbaye” in French) near to the vines and founded in the 11th century. Setting the standards since 1850, and “classed among the finest in the land” in the 12th edition of the 1969 Féret wine guide, today the Château owes its unique character to 100% Merlot plantings.

Château Caroline shows a deep ruby color. It has an easy-going, but attractive red cherry and wild strawberry-scented bouquet with touches of cedar coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, layers of cedar-infused black fruit and a crisp, earthy finish that is long and satisfying

Audrey Wilkinsons Merlot is a mellow, easy approaching style that is packed with ripe plum aromas and subtle oak. It is matured in French and American oak for 18 months, giving the wine soft tannins and a flavoursome finish.

Te Kahu is a wine of richness, with lovely black fruit flavours, hints of spice and long, fine graceful finish. From gravelly soil, it is made very much in the image of good Bordeaux.

While almost all Australian Merlot in the bottle is made from one clone, now Australia has better French clones of Merlot. This wine is made from one of them (Q45) by Australias new clone Merlot pioneers. MÉRITEs 2016 Q Merlot is made to showcase the attributes of this new clone: its a bold wine with intense fruit flavours, bright natural acidity and fine tannins

This glorious, 91pt, FIVE-time Gold-medal claret comes from Ludovic Roussillon – who also co-owns a small property with the Thienpont family of legendary (and extraordinarily expensive) Château Le Pin. Bordeaux is where our story began 40 years ago...So we’ve plenty of friends, like Ludovic. His Château lies across the river from our exclusive cellar Le Chai au Quai. The soils here are rich in limestone and quick draining, which concentrates the rich flavours of the grapes. The result here is a lavishly rich and expressive wine that definitely impresses. We love it!

The Angaston Road Growers range is all about honouring the often unsung heroes of the wine world, the growers. It is their intimate knowledge of the local terroir, the changes of season, and the varietals they tend to that ensure the special parcels of fruit that make it to the winery are in tip-top form to make quality wines like this fine Merlot from Coonawarra grower Mick Gillon.