Charles Melton employs a number of winemaking techniques in the cellar including whole bunch fermentation, open fermentation, pigeage and indigenous yeast fermentation. This enables a range of blending options and offers the most complete wine we can achieve in terms of balance between pure fruit flavour and earthy, gamey characters.
Of utmost importance is the quality of our fruit. We have 70 acres of owned or controlled prime Barossa dry-farmed vineyard and a select band of 20 grape growers who tend their treasured old blocks of gnarled veterans. The vineyards are scattered over the Barossa from as far south as Williamstown to as far north as Ebenezer. This is a great asset as it introduces added complexity to the wines.
Our ideal style is one that combines the attributes of Barossa grown dry farmed Shiraz; richness and intensity of flavour which, when combined with our crafting is balanced by perfume and elegance. These wines will then posses that essential grace and balance when young that, after a decade's cellaring will translate into complexity and smoothness.
Our Shiraz vines range in age from approximately 30 years to gnarled old veterans of 100+ years. The fruit is mostly hand harvested in the 13º-14º Bé range with attention paid to full flavour development and acid pH balance.
The fruit is crushed and destemmed into stainless steel closed fermenters. Fermentation is initiated and proceeds at 18º-23ºC for 7-10 days with twice daily pumping over. Close to dryness the wine is drained and pressed, all pressings added back to the free run. The wine is completely dry before transfer to both French (Vosge, Never) and American oak barriques. The wine is left "sur lie" for the full maturation period with no racking or battonage.
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