Your quest for the best sub-$20 Merlot is over. One of McLaren Vale's most explosive producers of the past 10-15 years is offered here on an silver platter. Everything you love about Merlot in one bottle; luscious black fruits with soft cuddly tannins and hints of spiced coffee.

Smith and Hopper is a stand alone arm of the impressive Hill Smith wine machine. Stand alone vineyards offer quality and real value for money. Wonderful earthy cedar and berries on the nose make this wine instantly attractive. The palate is rich and savoury, velvety in texture and spicy on the finish. Enjoy this full-bodied Merlot now or cellar till 2013.

Petaluma Merlot is medium body with a brick red colour, the superbly perfumed bouquet is a tangle of marzipan, spice, plum and confectionery and is the best nose of the early Petalumas. On the palate, flavours of cherry, plum and spice emerge, with very good depth and complexity.

Yalumba Y Series Merlot is soft and supple, with sweet, ripe fruit flavours and a hint of liquorice or anise. Merlot is an excellent alternative to the heavier and more tannic red varieties.

Wild Oats is the current vision of wine industry stalwart, Bob Oatley. Known for his adverturous side, in fact Bob had his start back in the Hunter Valley in the 1960s. The Wild Oats brand continues his strive for excellence and innovation and this Cabernet Merlot reflects this wonderfully. A blend of both Mudgee and Margaret River fruit, the Wild Oats Cab Merlot links the east and west coast of Australia with rich, smooth and velvety fruit and is enjoyable served on all occasions.

Margaret River Cabernet aromas of dark berries, chocolate and mint are evident as you nose this wine. The palate has attractive, fleshy fruit framed by ripe tannins. A lovely drink now style.

Attractive blackcurrant fruit characters and a hint of mint are well matched with toasty oak to give a well rounded finish in this easy drinking blend which delivers outstanding value for money.

From a 37-acre vineyard, Château Pavie Macquin is stunningly situated on the clay-limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion on the right bank of Bordeaux. 2010 has produced a formidable wine: a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a top release of the harvest year and a highlight from St-Émillion in 2010. Tannins, restraint and inward concentration are motifs, this is a wine for the patient, sophisticated collector who wishes to embellish a cellar with pedigree wines that need time and maturity to come to the fore.

Now sourcing fruit from premium regions across Australia, this Cabernet blend shows varietal mint on the nose with floral notes in the background. The palate has good weight and texture, the flavours of blackcurrant and herb framed by firm tannins.

McGuigan produce another fantastically smooth and rich Merlot from their Black Label range. It is a soft and flavoursome wine with ripe fruit flavours of raspberry, cherry and plums integrated with subtle oak.