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.

Opus One is the coming together of two of the world's supreme wine figures, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi. Opus One began its life in 1979 when Château Mouton Rothschild winemaker Lucien Sionneau and Robert Mondavi's son, Timothy made the partnership's first vintage. Their goal was to create a wine of unparalleled quality that reflected the traditions of both houses. The wine is French in style, but Californian in substance, Opus One is produced with the utmost attention to detail. The 2006 Opus One is a traditional Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The wine shows saturated black fruit concentration with flecks of purple in the glass. The nose is one of dark chocolate, blackberry, smallgoods and rose petal. In the mouth, flavours of cassis and coffee with robust plum and cherry are only a small taste of how great this wine will become with careful cellaring.</p>

Clarendon Hills is a small family owned winery which produce wine to the highest standard. The shiraz range is a varied as it is outstanding, from the Bakers Gully all the way to the iconic Australis. The Kiandra shows mid-palate depth and balanced complexities watermark the potential life span and enjoyment window for this cuvee. This class is highlighted by its potential to be enjoyed now or cellared confidently for 25 years.

Packed full of mint, blackcurrants, spice and cedary oak, this wine is indicative of how a great the 2004 vintage was. Drinking beautifully now.

One of the Margaret River's more celebrated producers, Howard Park have forged a healthy cult following. The 2001 Cabernet Blend is a full bodied red that has developed liquorice and humidor characters beneath a layers of concentrated blackberry.

The Malleea (an aboriginal word for 'green paddock') is a very fine exapmle of the classic Australian Cabernet/Shiraz blend. The 2008 is rich, dark magenta in colour, with ripe plums, spice and vanillin oak on the nose. The palate is like a complex fruit cake with layers of fresh berries, black olives and hints of chocolate.

From premium Cabernet Sauvignon grown in the renowned Coonawarra region only the best fruit is used to produce an elegant dry red wine exhibiting intense varietal berry fruit characters and fine oak tannins.

More lifted than its Coonawarra cousins, the Leasingham Classic Clare Cabernet has concentrated characters of blackcurrant, cooking spice and Old Gold chocolate. A standout of the Clare Valley.

Bouchard Pere and Fils is the largest vineyard owner of grands crus and premiers crus in Burgundy. Corton is the only red Grand Cru in the Cote D'Or.

Black with purple hues. Aromas of blue and red fruits, black pepper, tea, sherbert, liquorice and anise. Liquid black cherries, black jelly beans, some tar and sweet, smoky tea leaf tannins. Great with duck or caramelised pork.