2022 Charles Melton Nine Popes GSM, Barossa

This iconic GSM blend put Australian GSM on the map. Primary fruit comes from nearly 100-year-old bush vine Grenache, balanced with Shiraz and a small amount of Mataro. The nose is intricate, combining licorice, spice, dark fruits, and subtle perfumed confectionary-like notes. The palate is powerful yet soft and generous, seamlessly integrating a sweet mid-palate with complementary spices. Drink to 2040.

97 points Ray Jordan for Wine Pilot, November 2025

A stone-cold classic Barossa GSM from fruit sourced in the south of the Barossa Valley, matured in French oak for two years. Fragrant with a pastille brightness on the bouquet alongside black cherry, blackberry and dark plum fruits, flashes of raspberry, layered with hints of dark licorice, cocoa nibs, roasting meats, citrus blossom and earth. Pure and spice-laden with an elegant line, bright minerally acidity and plenty of persistence on the finish. The consistency of this lovely wine is really something. Drink to 2046.

96 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, July 2026

A Barossa icon that helped redefine Grenache based blends in Australia, this wine draws inspiration from the great southern Rhône while remaining unmistakably local. Old vine Grenache sits at the heart of Nine Popes, supported by Shiraz and Mourvèdre grown on sandy soils that favour perfume and finesse over sheer weight.

Charles Melton has always chased generosity balanced by structure, and this blend captures Barossa warmth through a Mediterranean lens, savoury, aromatic and deeply layered. Low yielding vines deliver natural concentration, and the winemaking is shaped to refine rather than overpower. Oak ageing builds texture and spice while allowing the vivid red fruit core to remain centre stage. The style is plush but controlled, built for evolution rather than simple impact.

The 2022 is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro from Krondorf, Eden Valley and Rowland Flat.