The archetypal Margaret River fusion of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted to opulent Medoc styling by one of West Australia's dauntless winemakers. Evans & Tate command a wide expanse of source vineyards, established during the nascent days of local viticulture. A mostly Cabernet wine with a component of good Merlot and a flourish of the softer Malbec, fashioned to articulate the profound elegance of the statuesque Margaret River style. Metricup Road is drinking beautifully right now, alongside succulent roast veal or pink of garlic lamb.

Why the fifth leg? Recognised as one of Margaret River's leading estates, Devil's Lair is situated on the southern end of Leeuwin Peninsula, it produces some of the most meritorious wines in the Australian west. Devil's Lair know about stylish reds and have brought their smart vinification techniques to bear on the enduring Aussie blend. This funky ensemble of vibrant Cabernet, playing alongside the plummy beat of Merlot and rhythmic rumba of spiced Shiraz, will make your taste buds dance and groove and have some real fun.

Langton's Exceptional Classification. Diana Madeline is one of Australia's great icon wines, crafted from fruit grown to one of Margaret River's earliest sites. The vines, planted in 1971, provide a scant two tons per acre, yielding grapes of amazing concentration. Cullen have returned to the old world practice of basket pressing. To their delight, they have found that this leads to the extraction of only the finest tannins. A stately construct in statuesque Bordeaux styling, deeply coloured, the extraordinary depth of flavour reflects an outstanding quality of fruit.

Exceptional Langtons Classification. This is one of the great years for Diana Madeline. The outstanding quality reflects a combination of excellent seasonal conditions that existed for all red grape varieties during the lead up to vintage 2007 and the benefits of employing the most exacting biodynamic practices. The requisite Medoc cepage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, for a wine of imposing stature, eminence and grace.

The Cullen success story revolves around the quality of wine made from biodynamically grown grapes, sourced exclusively from the Cullen and Mangan Vineyards. Western Australia's wine industry acknowledged estate matriarch Diana Cullen by naming an award in her honour. A decidely Bordeaux mix of varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec, fashioned into a comely pink style of fresh, juicy characters, strawberries, currant and plum. Redolent and ripe and with vibrant varietal complexities, an ingratiatingly savoury, adults only, piquantly drying finish.

The noble Bordeaux cepage of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, assembled into a deep dark brooding wine, rich yet approachable, alluringly aromatic yet substantial in palate and structure. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc contribute strength while Merlot softens the palate. Bursting with fragrant aromas of luscious berry fruits, lightly oaked but solidly fruit driven. Cowrock is endowed with softly textured tannins which provide seamless structure, playing a supportive role to a well proportioned and deeply satisfying wine.

Clairault Estate is situated approximately ten kilometres south of Yallingup, within the superior Wilyabrup dress circle of Margaret River. The property contains four dams, forty hectares of grazing land and eighty of remnant bush. The vineyard itself has been cultivated with a commitment to local flora and fauna, it yields harvests of small but intensely flavoured grapes. Merlot and Petit Verdot are assembled around a solid backbone of Cabernet Sauvignon, a stately wine of penetrating bramble fruit characters and refined, tensile tannins.

Chestnut Grove have harnessed the electric qualities of their now famous Merlot wines, loved by all and sundry, to create this most stylish of West Australian blends. A mostly Cabernet (56%) Cuvee with a lesser component of good Merlot fruit (43%) and a judicious tot of Petit Verdot, sourced exclusively from the mature (over twenty years old) Chestnut Grove vineyard at Manjimup. A mighty vintage for the region and for Chestnut Grove, which has kept production of this silken wine to a mere thousand cases.

Catching Thieves make wines with so much style, you'll do just about anything to get your hands on them! The highly skilled McWilliams team have matched the nobility of Cabernet Sauvignon with the affability of Merlot, to achieve a succulent Margaret River wine of substantial style and flair. Catching Thieves is built to exude alluring dark berry plum characters, to be in fine balance and ultimately deliver a soft and flavourful, aromatic juicyness to the palate.

The propitious vines are enthused by the scents of lofty karri tree blossoms, to yield harvests of the ripest, most flavourful grapes, intense with ripe brambleberry characters and redolent with the piquant cologne of local gums. Castelli make a Cabernet Merlot accord which expresses the magnificence of the Great Southern mesoclime, its lifted bush fruit aromaticness, velvet tannins and divine French oak, make a match to the finest gourmandise, game bird recipes, pate, pork and veal terrines or emmentaler gratin.

The balmy vineyards of Great Southern are paradise on earth for the formulation of soft and approachable Cabernot Merlot blends. Cartwheel have inducted a canon of harvests from choice vineyards selected on the basis of good varietal definition, Cabernet Sauvignon with solid structure and sleek tannins, vinified alongside parcels of Merlot with luscious fruit flavours.

Capel Vale bears the fruit of more than thirty years research, trials and improvements, on the land and amongst the vines. Fully Cabernet Sauvignon and very, very Margaret River, enhanced by a regimen of new and old world vinification techniques, a full bodied red by one of the region's most accomplished teams. The choicest parcels, picked off the most superior blocks of the prestigious Scholar Vineyard at Cowaramup, elegant and statuesque, framed by stately tannins and refined French oak.

West coast Cabernet Merlot has evolved into a discernible regional style and established an international reputation, a new genre of wine that's unique and very special indeed. Debut is drawn from harvests of the finest fruit, grown to good vineyards across the eminent winegrowing precincts of Western Australia. The aim is to fashion a profoundly fruit driven wine, that's supported by supple tannins and a supple veneer of oak, to match tomato meat pastas, gourmandise sausage or juicy cut of lamb.

From the precious Margaret River soils of Cape Leeuwin, to the balmy, richly endowed vineyards at Cape Howe, harvests of the finest fruit are brought to the estate wineworks near Mount Barker and assembled into a range of distinctly West Australian wines with an unparalleled reputation for quality and consistency. An intensely aromatic accord of Cabernet and Merlot, in an augustly brambleberried, structured and ebullient West Australia styling.

The topical cepage of Cabernet and Merlot enhanced by the inclusion of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The majority of fruit is harvested from the elite Estate and Kyella, Chapman Brook and Crossroads vineyards. Smaller amounts come from a number of long term growers located within the eminent Wallcliffe and Karridale sub districts. Trinders seeks to capture the charm of the noble Bordeaux varietal mix, grown to the salubrious microclimes along Margaret River, to craft enduring, muscular wines in a fully approachable, modern styling.

When the Scotchmans Hill team embarked on a pursuit to acquire the finest parcels of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in Western Australia, they discovered the magnificent national park of Cape Le Grand. White sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, the most magnificent wildflowers and sunbathing kangaroos were the added bonus in determining the choicest fruit.

Brookland Valley Estate made a conspiuous impression through their stirling efforts at Cabernet Merlot when they claimed several significant trophies, including the hotly contested Qantas Best Wine of Show. Expressing fully the generous palate structure and aromatic richness of the stylish Margaret River Cab Merlot accord, beautifully perfumed, bramble flavoured wine, brimming with the quality and elegance which has earned Brookland Valley Estate a five star reputation. A superior small batch wine that speaks eloquently of its Margaret River provenance.

Predominantly old vines Old Houghton clone Cabernet Sauvignon, hand picked off the original 1976 estate block at Wilyabrup. Bursting with red and black currant notes, vivid dark cherries and plum, leatheryness and violet, its comely perfumes of anise and cigar box precede a flood of fruit on the elegantly spiced oak palate, all supported by silky smooth, fine grained tannins. A wine of amazingly disciplined power and astonishing length, a measure of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc introduces wonderful complexity.

Three quarters Wilyabrup Old Cab and Young Cab clones, transplanted from the original Houghton Source Block in Valley Swan, the balance of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Selectively hand picked at vintage over the course of a month, gently plunged in open fermenters and matured two years in French oak barriques. A fully ripe red berry bouquet, cherry plum fruit leather and hints of cassis saturate the palate, fine grained tannins in support of a succulent, velvety mouthfeel, super premium oak imparts elegance, complexity and fragrant spice.

Located towards the northern reaches of Margaret River, where the invigorating ocean breezes form a unique microclime, Amberley produces wines with elegant flavours, solid structure and fine balance. Secret Lane keeps its promise to deliver smooth, early drinking Cabernet Merlot in fully approachable, contemporary styling. Pleasantly fragrant, with attractive blue and black berry characters, the gentlest tannins and decorous, supportive oak. Enjoy with kipflers and lamb.

Merv and Judy Lange are true pioneers of the Frankland River winegrowing region, they planted their first single hectare of Alkoomi vines by hand, way back in 1971. Today, Alkoomi is one of the largest family owned labels in Western Australia. The balmy mesoclimes which surround their salubrious Frankland River property are so similar to those of Bordeaux, heaven sent for the construct of intensely aromatic Cabernet Merlot wines with magnificent structure, elegance and charm.