Charles Melton Wines

Charlie Melton produced his first vintage in 1984 and formally established Charles Melton Wines in 1986 alongside wife Virginia Weckert at their Krondorf Road property in Tanunda. The winery opened its cellar door in 1987, the same year it made its first international export to the United Kingdom. That early momentum set the stage for a producer that would reshape the Barossa's identity.

• First vintage produced in 1984; winery established 1986
• Cellar door opened and first UK exports both occurred in 1987
• Charlie Melton inducted into the Barons of the Barossa in 2007
• Sophie Melton took over as winemaker in 2022, continuing the family legacy

During the Vine Pull Scheme, the Australian government paid growers to remove heritage vines, putting decades of irreplaceable old plantings at risk. Charlie Melton resisted this trend and championed old-vine Grenache at a time when few others saw its value. By 1999, he was formally credited with single-handedly reviving the grape in Australia. That commitment to heritage fruit defines the winery's character to this day.

• Vine Pull Scheme threatened mass removal of old-vine Grenache across Barossa
• Melton preserved and promoted heritage plantings rather than removing them
• Credited in 1999 with reviving Grenache as a serious variety in Australia
• Some estate vines now exceed 130 years old, with Koch Vineyard dating to 1927

Nine Popes, first produced in 1988, was the inaugural GSM blend made in the Barossa Valley. Named as a playful homage to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it established a template that countless Australian producers would follow. The 2014 vintage earned three trophies at the 2017 International Wine Challenge in London, taking Best Australian Red, Best South Australian Red, and Best Barossa Valley Red Blend. Nine Popes holds a 'Distinguished' rating in Langton's Classification, confirmed in both 2005 and 2010.

• First GSM blend produced in the Barossa Valley, made in 1988
• Rated 'Distinguished' in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine (2005 and 2010)
• 2014 vintage won three trophies at the 2017 International Wine Challenge, London
• Named as a reference to Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its history of papal association

Charles Melton farms 34 hectares across multiple sites, with vineyards located in Krondorf, Lyndoch, Rowland Flat, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, and Mount Pleasant. As of late 2025, 95 percent of fruit is grown on estate. Soils are a mix of loam and red clay, and the warm, dry continental climate of the Barossa shapes the richly concentrated fruit. Dry-grown vines yield approximately one tonne per acre, keeping quality intensely focused across roughly 15,000 cases produced per vintage.

• 34 hectares farmed across Barossa, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, and Mount Pleasant
• Soils are loam and red clay; vines are dry-grown at low yields of one tonne per acre
• 95% of fruit grown on estate as of November 2025
• Warm, dry continental climate is characteristic of the Barossa Valley

The winery uses whole bunch fermentation, open fermentation, pigeage, and indigenous yeast for its red wines. These traditional techniques favor texture and complexity over technological intervention. Charles Melton also holds a unique distinction as the only Australian producer of a Vin Santo-styled dessert wine, released under the name Sotto di Ferro. Primary grapes grown across the estate include Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvèdre (Mataro), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling.

• Whole bunch fermentation, open fermentors, pigeage, and indigenous yeast all used
• Sotto di Ferro is the only Vin Santo-styled wine produced in Australia
• Grapes include Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling
• Focus on limited releases and premium red table wines