Description

Charlie Melton was one of the first to recognise the value and tradition of the Barossa Valley’s old-vine Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre (Mataro). While others were pulling out Shiraz to plant more fashionable varieties, Charlie and a small band of Barossa winemakers were convincing farmers to keep their historic vineyards. These wines were initially styled on those from the Rhône, but are now considered leading examples of the varieties in their own right.

Since 1984, Charlie has produced premium Barossa red wines which have wonderful balance and freshness, with the use of French oak giving them a supple texture and poise. The grapes are dry-grown, chemical-free and harvested from the winery’s own vineyards in Tanunda and Lyndoch. The estate vineyards now comprise 32 hectares, the oldest having been planted in 1947, with the balance planted from the late 1960s onwards. The estate vineyards are supplemented by other growers with whom Charlie has worked for a number of years. The oldest grower block dates from the 1880s, with a number of vines ranging between 70 and 100 years old.