Charlie/Charles Melton and I share a discarded Christian name, he christened Graeme, I Francis James. Peter Lehmann gave Charlie his first job (it lasted 10 years) and without ever explaining why, simply ignored the birth certificate. My parents decided to honour my grandfather by christening me with his name, but used James from the outset.
Both of us dislike Barossa red wines with alcohol levels exceeding 14.5%, and enjoy the outcome of using a certain amount of whole berry/whole bunch in red wine ferments. I only used French oak (new or used), whereas he mostly employs French. We both agree old vine grenache is a legacy that has to be preserved. Finally, we are both accidental winemakers.
He began a round-Australia road trip with a mate in an old EH Holden ute that ground to a permanent halt in the Barossa Valley. It was 1983, and the grape surplus was cranking up, but the duo needed jobs. Vineyard pruning was one, a cellarhand at Krondorf was the other. They tossed a coin, and Charlie won the Krondorf offer.
He learnt quickly, buying grapes from old dry grown bush vines, and soon had purchased a 4.5ha grenache vineyard planted in 1947. He also found a way to the Southern Rhone Valley to work – and cement his love of shiraz, grenache and mourvedre, open fermented, pigeaged and matured in French oak, typically 20% new.
I will never forget my amazement when I learnt he was to get married to Virginia Weckert during vintage, driving to Sydney for the ceremony, and driving straight back to the Barossa Valley without pausing for sleep. It was an investment that paid off handsomely: Virginia raised their three children, and runs every aspect of the business.
Best of all, daughter Sophie-Claire, with five years as assistant winemaker at Thorn-Clarke Wines, and the Gramp Hardy Smith prize as most outstanding student in viticulture and oenology at Adelaide University in 2018, under her belt, joined as full-time winemaker on October 4.
2022 Charles Melton Rose of Virginia
The vivid magenta hue (in a clear glass bottle) is, to put it mildly, jaw-dropping. But it’s far more than show; it’s wondrously fruity, yet bone dry, its rainbow of small red berries enough to stop those who ‘don’t like roses’ in their tracks.
97 points, drink to 2024, 13% alc, Screwcap, $31.90
2019 Charles Melton La Belle Mère Barossa GSR
No mataro this vintage, so a dash of riesling co-fermented with the grenache and shiraz. The colour isn’t deep, but the riesling has performed like viognier with the still spring day brightness – as are the joyous red fruits and the sprinkle of spices on the medium-bodied palate.
96 points, drink to 2031, 14.5% alc, Screwcap, $31.90
2018 Charles Melton Nine Popes
Predominantly a blend ex bush vine grenache and shiraz; matured for 30 months on lees in 70% French/30% American barriques, 25% new. An extraordinarily complex bouquet of saddle leather, spice, glace cherry and plum, the palate following closely behind with a meaty (healthy) caste.
96 points, drink to 2038, 14.5% alc, Screwcap, $96.90
