Charles Melton Sparkling Red, Barossa Valley

2022 Disgorgement

The principal varieties are always Shiraz with Cabernet (around 20%). This disgorgement also has a percentage of old vine Grenache in it.

Produced with the base wine blended with 2012, 2013 and 2015 vintages. All were very high quality vintages with ’12 being considered a classic vintage, ’13 an extremely low yielding vintage of great density and ’15 a rich, rounded, sweetly fruited vintage.

A superbly balanced dry red that would have absolutely stood the test as a still, fine dry red. After 40 months on lees, a lovely complex autolysis character has overlaid the fruit aromatic. A little hint of brioche or toast almost. The liqueurs d’expedition has added a nice rounding sweetness, that the traditional style has always had. Finely balanced richness has given this wine some ageing potential as well as immediate reward.