Charles Melton Sparkling Red NV is crafted using the traditional Australian technique for sparkling red, as pioneered by Seppelts at Great Western — the base wine aged for around two years in oak, then tirage bottled and left on lees for up to 60 months. Disgorged December 2023. The principal variety is Shiraz, with Cabernet making up around 20% of the blend, and this particular disgorgement also includes a percentage of old vine Grenache. Lovely deepish burgundy colour, beautifully clean and sweet lift on the nose, fragrant red fruits and sweet spices, and a very fine tongue-coating mousse with apparent sweetness finely balanced by just-evident tannins. Best drunk just chilled.
Appearance
Lovely deepish burgundy — the rich, inviting colour of a traditional Australian sparkling red from the Barossa Valley, with the fine, persistent mousse that almost 60 months of lees ageing delivers.
Aroma
Beautifully clean and sweet lift on the nose — a mix of fragrant red fruits and sweet spices, with the classic autolysis character and aromatic complexity that the traditional Australian method and extended lees contact produce. Immediately captivating and genuinely distinctive.
Palate
A very fine tongue-coating mousse with apparent sweetness — necessary for a long-ageing traditional sparkling Burgundy style — finely balanced by just-evident tannins. The complexity and fine bubble are evidence of the almost 60 months of lees ageing. The liqueur dosage calibrated with the precision that allows the classic examples of this style to age for decades.
Serving Suggestion
Best drunk just chilled — the traditional serve for a traditional Australian sparkling red of this complexity, heritage, and depth. A wine for celebrations, for the finest table, and for those who understand that the greatest sparkling red in the world is Australian.s
