{"product_id":"2021-charles-melton-barossa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon-liberty","title":"2021 Charles Melton, Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Liberty","description":"\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eCharlie Melton was among the first to recognise the value and tradition of Barossa Valley’s old-vine Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre (Mataro). While others were grubbing up Shiraz to plant more fashionable varieties, Charlie and a small band of Barossa winemakers convinced farmers to keep their historic vineyards. These wines were initially styled on those from the Rhône but are now considered leading examples in their own right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eSince 1984, Charlie has produced premium Barossa red wines. Charles Melton is a family project, and today his daughter Sophie, a talented young winemaker, assists Charlie in the winery. The wines have lovely balance and freshness, with the use of primarily French and some American oak giving them a supple texture and poise. The grapes are dry-grown, chemical-free and harvested from estate-owned vineyards in Tanunda and Lyndoch. These vineyards now comprise 20 hectares, the oldest planted in 1947 and the rest from the late 1960s onwards. The estate vineyards are supplemented by other growers with whom Charlie has worked for many years, with the oldest grower block dating from the 1880s, with numerous vines ranging between 70 and 100 years old.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root accordion_paragraphSection__v26kt MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eBest known for his ‘Nine Popes’ blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, Charlie’s single-site wines such as ‘Grains of Paradise’ and ‘Voices of Angels’ have drawn much attention in recent years. The former, from the Barossa, is a modern classic that is full-bodied and opulent, yet refined, while the latter, from a vineyard straddling the border of the Adelaide Hills and Eden Valley, is elegant and perfumed with a lovely mid-palate generosity. Named after Charlie’s wife, the ‘Rose of Virginia’ is a unique style of rosé. Vibrant cerise in colour, this is full-bodied yet crisp, with a fragrant bouquet of Turkish Delight, seasoned with pepper and spice. The ‘Kirche’ is a Cabernet Shiraz blend named after an old Lutheran church that the vineyard surrounds. It is aged in both French and American oak, delivering a plush style with plentiful fruit, vanilla and sweet spice. The Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon, made exclusively from ‘Kirche’ vineyard estate fruit, is rich and layered with fine tannins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiPaper-root MuiAccordion-root accordion_accordion__I9cut Mui-expanded MuiAccordion-rounded MuiPaper-elevation1 MuiPaper-rounded\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-root MuiCollapse-entered\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-wrapper\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiCollapse-wrapperInner\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv role=\"region\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"MuiAccordionDetails-root\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1\"\u003eThe estate is situated in a region called Krondorf, around 290 metres above sea level. The vines were planted in 1989 and 1974, so are relatively youthful, at around 40 years old. They produce some of the highest quality Cabernet grown in the Barossa, along with superb Shiraz. Most of the vineyard sits on loam and red clay, with the edge on the eastern side, heading into the seam of black cracking clay. The name comes from the surrounding area known as the Zum Kripplen Christi Lutheran Church (Kirche in German), built in 1864.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MuiTypography-root MuiTypography-body1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 2021 vintage was great, certainly an improvement on the challenges of 2019 and 2020. Winter rainfall was average overall, and a mild spring was followed by sunny summer months. This, combined with refreshing summer rainfall, ensured evenly paced ripening, perfect harvest conditions and excellent yields.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis wine has a nose lead by dark cherry and plum notes, followed by a hint of leafiness. The palate is rich and the finely tuned tannins add a pleasant density to the wine. This wine finds a lovely balance between acidity and plushness for a long complex finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Wine Tasting Adventure","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56609674199418,"sku":null,"price":38.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0527\/4297\/9770\/files\/charles-melton-cabernet-sauvignon-500x800__250x500_55247937-dc90-4123-b167-a08c8cf832c3.jpg?v=1771595070","url":"https:\/\/www.wine-ta.co.uk\/products\/2021-charles-melton-barossa-valley-cabernet-sauvignon-liberty","provider":"Wine Tasting Adventure","version":"1.0","type":"link"}