The high altitude Orange region is producing some outstanding Merlot and this release, made by Debbie Lauritz, is a great example. Aromas of dried herb and currant are supported with sweet fruit flavours.

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.

Champions of cool-climate New South Wales, Logan have produced a Merlot with balanced fruit sweetness with true complexity. There is plenty of smooth, rich and voluptuous fruit on offer while fine-grained tannin and structured acid add a further dimension to this luscious wine. One could certainly argue that this is the perfect food match wine.

Cullen, world famous for their Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot, have introduced another Cab Merlot, a distinguished offshoot of the Langton's classified Diana Madeline. Majority Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot and touch of Petit Verdot gives the wine a luscious, bright cherry flavour with red berries playing their part. Aged in French oak, 40% of which was new, for one year. Delicious to serve with veal, lamb or beef today, but will also reward up to 10 years in the cellar.

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 one of Margaret River's best and original producers, Vasse Felix comes this excellent Cabernet Merlot blend has great concentration of blackcurrant fruit with cedary oak and fine tannins - a style with elegance and finesse rather than power.

This soft and luscious merlot from South Australia has a lovely nose of berries and dried fruit. An easy drinking fruity red with Merlot's classic supple feel. Super smooth on the finish for those who like their reds easy on the palate.

The 2010 Chateau d'Issan is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, showing 'classic Margaux' in its perfume, finesse and apparent elegance. Soils are gravel and clay, which contributes to the high-tones of perfume from the wine, and though an estate that is neccesarily clawing its way back to a higher profile, is doing so with deeds in bottle over showmanship. On its side, the vineyard is dense with older vines that naturally offer lower yields, allowing for a higher quality of fruit for the winemaking team, in turn producing a wine of stellar quality from 2010.

The Bowler's Run range at Dan Murphy's continues to prove a sure fire winner for the price savvy consumer. Fresh and fruit driven, this delicious, youthful blend has loads of sweet blackcurrant cabernet fruit flavour with the supple texture of Merlot.

Attractive blackcurrant fruit characters are well matched with toasty oak in this easy drinking blend which delivers outstanding value for money.