Zilzie are one of the few Mildura estates that can call on an agenda of excellent vineyards in the splendid red wine precincts of Wrattonbully. Zilzie know from good Merlot, having supplied and worked with many of the nation's most esteemed labels. Wrattonbully's long growing season and cool ripening conditions are best known for producing soft, rich and fruit driven Merlot wines. Zilzie have access to the best, the challenge is to craft a Merlot of such a quality and style while keeping it appealing and immediately approachable to modern palates.

The brothers Zema go back a long way with viticulture, their family operated a wine bar in Calabria and Papa worked at Wynn's for over twenty years, planting, pruning and picking. Zema possess a natural affinity with the land, their first acquisition in Australia was a contemplative choice, a small block of mature vines in the very heart of Coonawarra. Merlot grows brilliantly here, the highly auspicious Terra Rossa soils yield wines with rich cherry violet bouquets and flavours, tender tannins and an intensity of fruit that's drinking magnificently.

Casella Wines have been decorated with accolades for establishing the most successful brands in the nation's history. Now managed by three generations of the family [yellow tail] continue to represent Australia in markets around the world. An easy drinking Merlot wine designed for immediate enjoyment, excellent with all foods, superbly suited to cheeses and flavoursome Italian recipes, especially pasta with tomato sauces.

Y Series deliver wines of clear varietal profiles, combined with a generosity of fruit and expression of the vineyard as influenced by the vagaries of the growing season. Classically Merlot, a soft forward drinking red wine exhibiting delightful aromas of ripe berries, plum petals and spice. The label depicts the vineyard mascot, with its wet nose, soft fur and sparkling, clear eyes, a metaphor of Merlot affability and reminder of loyal, long term relationships, an enduring principle of Yalumba culture.

Yellow Label builds on the success that Wolf Blass has enjoyed after many years of perfecting a pure Merlot, to produce an everyday wine of quality, consistency and charm. Yellow Label represents a soft and flavourful Merlot with gentle tannins and mouthfilling varietal plum fruit flavours. Grapes are sourced from some of the finest vineyards in South Australia, highly specialised to yield harvests of Merlot which are second to none. Perfect with lamb and a treat alongside juicy roast pork and crispy yorkshire pud.

Wolf Blass enjoy a long established international reputation for delivering Australia's most popular and approachable, satisfying red wines. A secret ingredient to many of Wolf Blass most memorable editions has been the inclusion of Merlot. Wolf Blass himself knew that he had to have sources of good Merlot within his inventory of vineyards to assemble into wines which have since become legendary. Parcels exhibiting gentle tanins and delicious plum fruit characters have been fashioned into a generously flavoured Eaglehawk that's drinking beautifully.

Wild Fox have employed the most stringent organic and bio-dynamic viticultural techniques right from the very beginning. Priority is placed on minimising any impact on climate change and maximising water conservation, through drip irrigation and weed mulching. It's all about caring for the long term health and sustainability of the environment through strict organic and biodynamic farming practices as mandated by Biological Farmers Australia. The final word is about the quality of fruit and ultimately, wholesomeness and integrity of the finished wine.

Watershed are fortuitously situated astride the intersection of Darch Road and Bussell Highway, a major arterial to and from the exalted Cape to Cape estates of the salibrious west coast. This is downtown central for Margaret River Merlot, just within range of the Freemantle doctor and invigorating maritime winds. Merlot is often called upon for easy food matching and relaxed early drinking, Shades takes the style a step further, more effusive and intense, supported by polished showroom tannins and dressed in a veneer of supple vanilla carob oak.

Good value and remarkably successful at Australian wine shows, this merlot shows a little more body and depth and flavour than most at this price and definitely deserves a try.

From fruit grown to closely husbanded vines on the Villa Maria estate property, at the outskirts of the eminent Gimblett Gravels precinct in Hawkes Bay. The vineyard has been managed to holistic principles of viticulture for many years, the quality of wine speaks for itself. Rather than relying on herbicides or pesticides, the focus is on enhancing soil health and yielding harvests of clean, natural grapes. Yields are kept limited to realize a quality of fruit that's concentrated and bursting with ripe natural sugars.

Taylor know from good Clare Valley Merlot, the family's initial interest in establishing their own label was primarily driven by a love of the great Bordeaux growths, many of which include Merlot as the secret ingredient. Valley Clare is renowned for its influence on the noble red grapes, infusing the wines with characters of blueberry and mint. Vinified exclusively from estate grown fruit, those parcels which are most worthy of a pure Merlot wine are sourced solely from the precious Lodden and St Andrew blocks on the Taylor family property.

The quality of Coonawarra Merlot had been catching the attention of Stonehaven for some time. Stepping Stone expresses the sensational regional influence and varietal definition of the tiny Terra rossa strip.

Stefano Lubiana believes that every sip of wine should tell you a story, like a movie or good book. It should have a beginning, a middle and an end, one that builds gradually to meet the expectation of a high level satisfaction and enjoyment. Truly great vineyards manage to tell a compelling story each and every year. Located in the Granton region, along River Derwent, Lubiana's closely cossetted block of Merlot is planted to a patch of propitious silty gravel loams. It speaks of healthy soils, fertile with the elements which infuse the wine with redolent plum blueberry flavours, gentle textures and velvet tannins.

Established with a view to crafting nothing but the very finest, a helping hand from the eminent team at neighbouring Giaconda has kindly imparted wisdom and knowledge along with a few trade secrets to help transform Star Lane's dedicated efforts into wines of elegance, distinction and finesse. Mr Barnes manages the vineyard and Mrs Barnes makes the wine. A block of vines planted to red loam over mudstone soils, yields a concentrated palate that's the essence of Merlot, featuring lush black fruit characters, laced with florals, violet and plum.

A compliation of the most outstanding parcels Wrattonbully Merlot, sourced off the best blocks established by the Smith and Hooper families, trained from the ground up to be exceptional sites, whence careful management yields a superior harvest of Merlot. The Smith & Hooper philosophy demands the terroir be allowed to speak for itself and it does. The auspicious climes provide ideal ripening conditions, while rich Terra rossa soils over limestone forces the vines to struggle for survival, ultimately producing a wine of intensity and finesse.

The term Terra rossa means red earth, a rich, free draining soil that is considered by many as the viticultural equivalent of discovering gold. Beneath the strata of red earth at Wrattonbully sits a layer of ancient limestone, a winegrower's dream as it allows free drainage of water, yet ensures vine roots stay close to the surface, putting natural stress on the vine and limiting its vigor and yield. An attractive wine upon release and destined to develop complexity, just perfect alongside crispy skinned pork belly. In sticky sauce of course.

The old vine D3v14 clone planted on two blocks at Sevenhill is not known for great concentration, yet Sevenhill produces Merlot wines of greater colour, palate structure and character than most. We see Merlot's finest qualities of violet perfume and silky texture coming from the uniform but not rich, clay loams of Sevenhill's vineyard. Secondly, it's all in the timing. The aim is to encourage all berries to ripen simultaneously and evenly. A fine accompaniement to osso buco or veal, Inigo makes the most of a slow cooked leg of rosemary garlic lamb.

Schild is one of the most respected names in Barossa viticulture. Relative latecomers to the region, they established their plantings in 1952 after three decades of adversity in the Mallee. A careful selection of the ripest and plumpest Merlot grapes is harvested off the elite Schild estate Angas Brae property. Fully fragrant and juicy to the palate, Schild displays an abundance of rich fruit characters so essential of good Barossa Merlot. Rich in flavour yet elegant to the finish, a splendid Merlot that drinks beautifully and will compliment many different cuisines.

With abundant cherry, plum, raspberry and sweet red fruit characters, it is an excellent match to seasoned roast chicken, pasta or Mediterranean seafood dishes.

The award winning Thorn Clark winemaking team are always excited to see the freshly picked harvests of Merlot brought to their wineworks. Barossa makes outstanding Merlot wines and Thorn Clark retain the finest vineyards. Sandpiper is named after the migratory bird which visits the Thorn-Clarke's property every year from the northern hemisphere. A succession of inspiring vintage releases have claimed impressive accolades on the national wine show circuit.

Rosemount work to the philosophy that a quality wine will always be appreciated. They have established a wide variety of vineyard sites around Australia, well positioned to take advantage of the most favourable soil types and mesoclimes. Diamond Label has remained a staple around bistrot tables across Australia for decades. Everyone can appreciate the consistency of quality, seamless palate structure and lively fruit. A stylish Cabernet Merlot, delightfully smooth, displaying all the easy drinking qualities which have made Diamond Label so popular.

Redbank retain some of the best vineyards in the higher altitudes of Victoria's bountiful northern winegrowing districts. Sites planted to cooler climes offer slower ripening conditions which translate into the full development of flavours. Long Paddock is fashioned from the finest harvests of Merlot on offer, the finely grained tannins, gentle palate and aromatic qualities can make any further ageing unnecessary. A forward drinking wine, redolent with plum and cherry characters and like all good Merlot, scrumptuous with fine food.

Hey there gastronauts and bon vivants, here's a secret Joe Grilli's family have known for generations, that fresh young reds are quite often, best enjoyed lightly chilled. Perfect for sharing with friends on a warm summer evening, Merlesco is a deliciously uncomplicated, juicy Merlot wine for unwinding after a hot and bothered day. The team at Primo are not going to tell you how to drink it but this one keeps popping up whenever mates and good food are around.

Fruit driven, high altitude Merlot in all its splendor, grown to reclaimed tobacco country, as fashioned by a team that has stewarded their vineyards from infancy. Trials with different clones, the continual search for the perfect oak to suit each vineyard parcel, and the team's passion for contemporary styles, are all keystones to ensuring Pizzini remain a leader in the production of fine high country Merlot. A gentle red wine that's wonderful with food, well supported by smooth, soft tannins and gentle oak, finishing with a juicy, fruit filled crunch.

The 1999 is a stepping-stone on the long pathway of Petaluma's success at crafting the ultimate Coonawarra Merlot. The paradox of supreme quality is always how to achieve in the vineyard, concentration and structure without sacrificing the finesse which is a hallmark of the world's best Merlot. Coonawarra's innate suitability for this varietal, and Petaluma's distinguished sites, offer a mosaic which maximises the quality of this exceptional wine.

The nation's most long lived Merlot, a regional beacon of the varietal since since inaugural vintage of 1990. An assemblage of the best parcels from the distinguished Evans and Sharefarmer Vineyards. Both these mature sites yield a precious harvest of the most outstanding fruit. The palate is full, luscious and rich with loads of black fruits and cedar oak. A fully fleshed, immaculately detailed Merlot of satin textures and the most amazingly affable tannins, mesmerisingly perfumed by the heady notes of creme de cassis, Coonawarra violet, eucalypts and mint.

Established by industry doyen Len Evans, the Petaluma vineyards are at the very heart of Coonawarra, invaluable winegrowing terroirs which are infused by the mineral rich terra rosa soils and stimulated by the balmy maritime breezes of the Southern Ocean. A fully Certified Organic Shiraz, picked off vines which have been husbanded to a holistic, environmentally sustainable viticulture, spicy, brooding and engagingly aromatic, a long dry red with elegant velvet tannins, peppery plum fruit characters and piquantly perfumed, cool Coonawarra finish.

Even the finest Merlot is rarely seen front and centre as a pure varietal wine. Pertaringa manage an endowment of the finest McLaren Vale vineyards and can call on harvests of superior fruit for the construct of an exclusively Merlot wine. Layers of fleshy plum flavour, velvet textures and pliable tannins define the structure and style of Stage Left, essentially a splendid food friendly mode of Merlot, the first choice to accompany quails wrapped and grilled in pancetta or delicately braised game over red wine Jus and pureed parsnip grits.

Wrattonbully makes Merlot of exceptional character and flavour, arguably the finest and most consistent annual yields in Australia. The wines are distinctive for their blueberry, plum and mint character, sound structure and velvet tannins. Pepper Tree's Merlot vines are fortuitously planted to heavier clay soils at the toe of the main Wrattonbully dune, as heavy clays have proved to be the best soils for Merlot in its traditional home of Bordeaux. A soft and rich, profoundly fruit driven Merlot wine with more power and weight of varietal flavour than most.

The Malpas family planted four scant acres of clone D3V14 Merlot vines to an auspicious block of dark, dry Bay of Biscay soils in 1991. The fissures which occur as the soils crack, sever the roots and diminish vigor in the vines, culminating in vintages of the extraordinary intensity and concentration of fruit. Bunches are destemmed, crushed and vinified on skins for a week, followed by a press into seasoned French oak for malolactic and eighteen months maturation. Bright cherry and blueberry fruit, red licorice and savoury spice, supple tannins and soft, lengthy finish.

Integral to the style and quality of Parker has been the unique mesoclimate of the Old Block Merlot site in southern Coonawarra. There are noticeable climatic and soil differences within the fifteen kilometre strip that impart unique qualities to wine. Less prone to frost, Old Block has a higher median temperature, and the fruit can be treated to an additional hang time of up to fourteeen days. An opulent, slightly spicy Merlot in which the toasty oak merges well with the mouthfilling qualities of fruit, tannins are supple and the finish long.

Enjoying a temperate maritime climate, Oyster Bay's Hawkes Bay vines are warmed by strong clear sunlight during the day and cooled at night by the sea breezes of the Pacific Ocean. This is the idyllic environment for Merlot to grow it's vibrant, fully ripened varietal flavours. Oyster Bay is about elegance and intensity of fruit, a Pinot Noir of freshness, sweet spice and soft tannins. The glorious fruit ripeness provides a burst of rich juicy black plum flavours, whilst a touch of subtle oak contributes complexity, softness and warmth.

Oxford Landing is a real place along the River Murray, where drovers once watered sheep on the long journey to Adelaide markets from northern pastoral lands. Established in 1958, the vineyards were strategically planted with uniquely selected grafted vines, on the pick of well drained, low vigor soils. The people who make Oxford Landing and manage the vineyards live on site and very close by, forming a strong community, with Murray River always in sight and environmentally friendly viticulture at its heart.

Planted atop the highest ridge dissecting the vineyard, the defining visual impact of Norfolk Rise is a hundred Norfolk Island Pines planted along a five hundred metre length of ridge. Lying in the lee of the trees under Mount Benson, are parcels of Merlot vines uncompromisingly husbanded to the most wholistic viticultural practices. The dark blue berries ripen slowly into voluptuous Merlot grapes with distinctive primary fruit characters.

The vineyards of Te Ika a Maui yield a quality of Merlot that's world class. Nobilo take the pick of crop from the finest sites in Hawkes Bay, to create a wine that's endowed with generosity of fruit, velvet textural flavours and the most hospitable tannins. The team at Nobilo have put so much effort into formulating the country's finest Merlot, that they have set aside half the company's resources at the state of the art Corner 50 development for the advancement of Merlot as a pure varietal wine.