Charles Melton Sparkling Red, Barossa Valley

‘Lovely deepish burgundy colour. Beautifully clean and sweet lift on the nose. A mix of fragrant red fruits and sweet spices. A very fine tongue coating mousse with some apparent sweetness (necessary for a long ageing traditional sparkling burgundy style) that is finely balanced by some just evident tannins. The complexity and fine bubble is evidence of the almost 60 months lees ageing. Best drunk just chilled.’

Winemaker's Note.

Shiraz, Cab, Grenache - 17/18/19 base, 2023 disgorge.

Made using the traditional Australian technique for sparkling red, as pioneered by Seppelts at Great Western. The base wine is aged for around two years or so in oak and then tirage bottled and left on lees for up to five years. This gives a complex aromatic of fruit sweetness and classic autolysis character and fine bubble. An important factor is the liquering dosage as this degree of sweetness has helped some of the classic examples age for decades.