The order in which I receive my Platter wines is random, all depends on who delivers when and has given information that tallies with the samples delivered. This is not always as straightforward as it should be; some producers are thoroughly professional and on the ball with very few queries needed from the elves, others - well, let's just say their business plan would benefit from some polish. But I digress.

Coincidentally, among the first wines to reach me was a selection of merlots. It is interesting not to say helpful to have more than one wine of a style or type for comparative purposes, even more so with merlot, which recently has come in for much criticism. See the discussion between Luca Bein, Convenor of the Vinpro Merlot Varietal Group, and Michael Fridjhon, in his capacity as Chairman of the Trophy Wine Show.

Adding to the significance was the inclusion of the Bein range, a good benchmark, as Luca and Ingrid Bein specialise exclusively in merlot . Alongside their own four red merlots (they also make a rosé) were the Fraai Uitzicht and Hillcrest, all very different animals.

I'm not familiar with Fraai Uitzicht or its merlot but I much enjoyed the 2007. It has a vibrancy and tautness but also richness of flavour with characteristics common to many wines off those Robertston limestone soils. Winemaking is very low-tech in a cellar claimed as the oldest in the valley. Thankfully, oak is modestly used and the wine is bone dry.

The fruit purity and elegance of Graeme Read's Hillcrest Merlot, with its Atlantic-facing vineyards, is a reflection of the cool Durbanville climate. In cooler vintages, ripeness can be a struggle, a problem Read is hoping to overcome by raising the trellis so the canes are moved further from the bunches, allowing more light penetration. It's good to hear of anyone who turns to viticulture first when a correction is necessary.

The Bein's Polkadraai Hills, Stellenbosch merlot (that's the view of their winery looking towards False Bay) is again different, generally with much darker fruit, more generous build. That description may be a common thread, but each of the three 2008 wines - the Little Merlot, Merlot and new Reserve Merlot - are distinctive individuals; the first, a more accessible wine, through to the last, more complex and ageworthy; this all comes down to Precision Viticulture. Sounds complicated, but isn't really. Should you look at a vineyard block anywhere in the Cape, what generally determines its size is topography, other vegetation and/or economics, especially if the fruit is machine harvested. But within that block, there may be variations of soil, aspect or whatever, all of which may mean the vines have different levels of vigour, ripening time etc. Precision Viticulture recognises these variabilities and, using various technology, breaks the block down into homogenous zones. Luca and Ingrid Bein have used aerial remote sensing for several years; basically this measures vigour and canopy condition (De Toren and Tokara are among others who employ this method), which in turn allows for targeted harvesting according to differing fruit quality. It must be much easier to follow such a precise method when you specialise in one variety only, like the Beins. They acknowledge that in 2008, they applied the technique 100% rigorously, with remarkably good results.

So here we have styles of merlot that differ between producers and within a single producer. It is often difficult to divorce style, especially if it is not to one's taste, from quality, but it is a fair question to ask before dismissing a wine as no good.