1998 Charles Melton Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes sourced from Charles Melton Winery.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is Charles Melton's most variable wine in a varietal sense often displaying vastly different characters from one vintage to another. In a very warm year, elegance and delicate varietal characteristics can be displayed whilst in a year with milder conditions intense cassis and chocolate characters appear.Regardless of vintage conditions the style is one of great structure and tremendous palate richness.

The Cabernet fruit is drawn from four vineyards in the Southern Barossa and is ideally harvested around 12.5º-13º Beaume though has occasionally been left on the vine a little longer to improve colour intensity and as such has achieved greater ripeness.The majority of the Cabernet is crushed, destemmed, transferred to stainless steel, fermentationinitiated and the wine pumped over twice daily for 7-10 days.Additionally, in recent years, a portion of the Cabernet has been fermented whole bunch in openfermenters. Fermentation is established through indigenous yeasts and after three days fruitmaceration occurs daily. Towards the end of fermentation, the wine is drained from its skins, the free run and pressings blended and aged "sur lie" in French oak for 15 months.Strong cassis and cigar box nose, deep black with a superbly rich flavour. Strong berry characters. Long in the mouth with soft rounded tannins. Cellar up to 10 years. 14.0% alcohol volume.