Country: Australia  Region: South Australia  Vintage: 2016 Category: Red Wine  Color:  Red  Varietal: Northern Rhone style Producer: Charles Melton "Charlie Melton was one of the first to recognise the value and tradition of the Barossa Valley's old-vine Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre (Mataro) vines. While others were pulling out Shiraz to plant more fashionable varieties, Charlie and a small band of Barossa winemakers were convincing farmers to keep their historic vineyards. These wines were initially styled on those from the Rhône, but are now considered leading examples of the varieties in their own right. Charles Melton has produced premium Barossa red wines since 1984. Charlie's wines have wonderful balance and freshness, with the use of French oak giving them a supple texture and balance. The grapes are dry grown, chemical free and harvested from the winery's own vineyards in Tanunda and Lyndoch. The estate vineyards now comprise 32 hectares, the oldest having been planted in 1947, with the balance planted from the late 60s onwards. The estate vineyards are supplemented by other growers with whom Charlie has worked for a number of years. The oldest grower block dates from the 1880s, with a number ranging between 70 and 100 years old. Best known for his 'Nine Popes' (a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro), Charlie's single site wines such as 'Grains of Paradise' and 'Voices of Angels' have grabbed a lot of attention in the last few years. The former, from the Barossa, is more elegant and lifted than most Barossa wines, while the latter, from a vineyard that straddles the border of the Adelaide Hills and the Eden Valley, is a modern classic." Winemaker: Charlie Melton Vineyards: This wine is sourced from the Mount Pleasant vineyard which sits on the boundary of Eden Valley and the Adelaide Hills. Technically, this wine is from the Adelaide Hills, but spiritually the fruit is Eden Valley. Vinification: 10-15% whole bunches were used in the fermentation of the the single vineyard Voices of Angels. This has been the treatment of this fruit over the last 25 years. Ageing "sur lie" for the full maturation period, in 100% new French oak, builds and enriches the structure and mouthfeel before settling to achieve natural clarification. Tasting Notes: Deep, bright ruby in colour. Defined gentle black fruit nose, slightly reserved , but made complex by the 100% new French barriques in which it was aged. Dark and dense in the mouth, but with a lively structure, aniseed and liquorice mingling with berry fruits to give very defined aromatics. Closure: Stelvin Lux  ABV:14.5%  Acidity [g/l]: 6.4