$29999each $3597DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Melton was christened Graeme but given the nickname Charlie by his long term mentor, the legendary Peter Lehmann. It was during a tour of duty amongst the illustrious vineyards of Chateauneuf du Pape that Charlie acquired his deep passion for the sublime grace of old vines Grenache. The Reformation is crafted from precious parcels, hand picked off distinguished Barossa plantings, seventy to a hundred years of age. A mix of destemmed and whole bunch grapes are vinified on skins and pressed into a selection of French and American oak for twenty to thirty months before the final assemblage.

$4299each $515DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Charles Melton's life long passion for Grenache began during a working tour of the Rhone Valley in the 1980s. At the time, Australian Grenache was being used mainly for cheap, high alcohol, fortified wines, Charlie however, started experimenting in the vineyard, pruning the old vines harder so they would produce lower yields of better berries. All Melton's vineyards are unirrigated and dry grown, some are in excess of 130 years old, yielding fruit of the most intense natural sweetness, even when fermented to bone dry, a quality of Grenache that's without peer anywhere in the world.

$7299each $875DOZEN EACH DOZEN

What's Barossa Rosé without a vital inclusion of old vines Grenache? Charlie Melton prunes his old vines harder so that they produce lower yields, concentrating more of the vigor into fewer berries. The bright effusiveness of a lusciously ripe harvest is assembled with barrels of aged Grenache wines for a remarkably complex, blush hued Cuvée. Evocative and engaging, richer than most any other Rosé, her heady perfumes of rhubarb and ripe strawberry, cherry blossoms and turkish delight, precede a delightfully complex palate of jellied fruit, plum pastels and pretty, purple cassis.

$2899each $347DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Described by the London Observer as Australia's finest pink wine, Rose of Virginia is distinctively perfumed thanks to the inclusion of a choice Grenache component, followed by the brooding characters of noble red grapes. At a time when growers were pulling out their vines to plant more fashionable varieties, Charlie was convincing farmers to keep their historic parcels of Grenache. Just ever so slightly away from the cloying, rich styles, Rose of Virginia is crisp and balanced to match the wide range of cuisines which have been her partners.

$3199each $383DOZEN EACH DOZEN The limited production of the Charles Melton vineyards yield small berries of intense colour and flavour. Picking slightly early helps retain the natural acidity to give some zest and crispness on the palate. Grenache, the key component, is treated slightly more kindly by nature but still only delivers minimal harvests. Rose of Virginia employs a number of key techniques. Cofermentation of the varietals achieves lovely pink colour, a variation in skin contacts arrives at just the right combination of colour and tannin. several weeks of slow, cool fermentation is arrested when just a few grams of natural grape sugar remain, to soften rather than sweeten, bottled immediately to retain youth and enticing flavours.

Lovely vibrant crimson/ magenta hue, real depth of colour. Delicious young Grenche lift with a little touch of sweet mazipan that seems unique, a little pepper and spice. Fragrant turkish delight flavours, a light touch to the palate with just the right amount of acidity and flesh. Crisp and fresh avoiding any heaviness, just a nice quaffable weight.

$6699each $803DOZEN EACH DOZEN

A mostly Shiraz Cuvee sourced from six of the Melton's best dry grown, old vine blocks. Charlie was one of the first to recognize the value and tradition of the Barossa's old vineyard Shiraz, Cabernet and Grenache. At a time when others were pulling out some wonderful old rootstock to plant more fashionable varieties, Charlie was convincing farmers to keep their historic vineyards. He belongs to a small group of dedicated vignerons who fought to retain the viticultural heritage of Barossa Valley. Two years in oak, followed by liqueur dosage tirage and a further four years on lees.

$7999each $959DOZEN EACH DOZEN The fruit is mostly hand harvested at healthy levels of ripe, natural sugar baume range to give richness with a degree of freshness and acidity for the base wine. Grapes are fully destemmed through the crusher into fermenters, for vinification on skins at moderate temperatures for several days, treated to a regimen of pumpovers twice daily. At close to dryness, batches are drained, pressed and returned to the free run. Components are filled to a selection of predominantly French Never and Vosges or American oak barriques for a year on gross sediments. The wine is then tiraged and left on lees for twenty months before degorgement and expedition liqueur.

Deep dark, cherry purple. An elegant, complex bouquet, rich spicy, multi dimensional redolence, mintyness, dark currants and festive pudding fruits. A complex, aromatically opulent cornucopia of flavour, bushels of fruit and classic autolysis within a glorious effervescence of the finest bubble. The wonders of liquering dosage and bottle age, modulating the degree of sweetness, in the tradition of the memorable Great Westerns which evolved for decades.

$27999each $3359DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$7999each $959DOZEN EACH DOZEN

South Australia's founding winery, the headquarters of Hardy Wines, Chateau Reynella is one of our nation's oldest cellars. Vinified from the most precious parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon available to Hardy, traditionally crafted to old world techniques, employing antique basket presses and open fermenters to keep the history alive and create wines which merit perennial critical acclaim. A highly perfumed construct of McLaren Vale Cabernet, its judicious measure of spiced French vanilla oak complements the fruit richness and lingers on the memorable finish.

$6699each $803DOZEN EACH DOZEN Established by John Reynell in 1838, the winery boasts a prestige as birthplace of South Australia's wine industry. Set on twenty one picturesque hectares at the very gateway to McLaren Vale, this historic winery exudes classic charm with its restored heritage. The finest harvests of Cabernet are harvested and destemmed, crushed into a mix four and seven tonne open fermenters for ten days vinification, treated to a regimen of regular hand plunging and pumping of juices over skins to gently extract colour, flavour and tannin. Upon completion, the skins are basket pressed and batches are racked into a selection of seasoned and new fine oak barriques for a course of malolactic and extended term of maturation.

Vibrant dark purple with brilliant crimson hues. Lifted plum aromas, ripe cherries over underlying aniseed and cigar box notes, complex characters of cassis, savoury black olive and sweetly perfumed violets. The palate is powerful and textured with layers of cassis, ripe fleshed plum and tasty mocha chocolate. Fine tannins complement the fruit, whilst the acid structure provides a wine of great structure, complexity and length.

The site which was destined to become South Australia's first winemaking estate was planted to vines just south of the Onkaparinga River, at the northwest corner of Panalatinga and Reynell Roads. Within ten years, John Reynell became the first to export South Australian red wine. His business grew, as Chateau Reynella won over palates throughout the Empire. As his operations flourished and local businesses started up, more workers were attracted to the area and settled down, the beginnings of McLaren Vale. Significantly, one of Reynell's star employees was Thomas Hardy of Hardy Wines.

$6699each $803DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Chateau Reynella is the birthplace of McLaren Vale Shiraz, today it is headquarters of Australia's most eminent winemaker. The original site, established by John Reynell in 1838, was the first commercial vineyard in South Australia. It remains productive to this day, yielding fruit which is processed at the original wineworks. The most exceptional parcels available to the Hardy winemaking team, those which can best represent the Chateau Reynella style, are vinified and assembled into a rich bold Shiraz of profound intensity, exquisite balance and refined silky tannins.

$6699each $803DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Deep magenta colour. A complex array of primary fruit aromas, brambles and plum, chocolates and dried herbs, seasoned by scents of spicy, lifted oak. The palate is dense and creamy, blueberries and spiced plum intermingle with festive pudding and chocolate oak, texture and sweetness build structure, supported by ripe, mouth coating tannins. An experience in McLaren Vale Shiraz delivering tremendous satisfaction.