The Charles Melton winery presides gracefully on Krondorf Road Tanunda, in the Barossa Valley.  Its 17ha of vineyards are spread over four main locations: at High Eden, Light Pass, Lyndoch and in Tanunda itself.

In 1973 Graeme Melton was traveling across Australia with a friend. Unfortunately their old EH Holden ute broke down and they needed jobs to raise money for repairs.  Graeme ended up at Krondorf winery as a cellarhand, where he met Peter Lehmann who began his winemaking education.  Peter refused to call his protégé by his real name - hence ‘Charlie’ was born and...well... it stuck!

Charlie refined his skills under Peter Lehnmann for 16 years and also traveled to France where he quickly took an interest in the elegant wines of the Rhone Valley, an interest that since developed into a life-long passion.

Embracing his love of Rhone Valley wines, Charlie has remained focused on keeping alive the traditions of the old Barossan Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre styles.  He was one of a small group of winemakers who saved the region’s viticultural heritage by convincing grape growers to keep their now historic vines at a time when many growers were replanting with fashionable varieties of the time.

In 1984 Charlie created the first vintage under the ‘Charles Melton’ label and the winery has gained national and international recognition for its premium red table wines.  This is in no small part due to the emphasis placed on low yield – often only 1 tonne to the acre – and the resultant high fruit quality.  Some of their more beautiful vineyards are now over 80 years old. - Daniel Jess