2009 Charles Melton Nine Popes

James Halliday
"94 pts ... The bouquet offers a hedonistic blend of sweet red and black fruits, liqueur soaked plums, licorice and bramble; the palate is sweet-fruited and certainly warm, with a long and succulent finish. Drink through 2015."

Winemaker's Notes
"Very complex spicy nose. Sweet cedary aromatic from the whisper (25%) of new oak mingled with a hint of licorice. Plump mid palate with rounded tannins, this is another Popes to keep and allow to hit its straps fully a little ways down the track."

Technical Notes
"The normal Charles Melton melange of techniques: whole bunch fermentation, along with de-stemmed but uncrushed fruit. Grenache responds favourably to whole bunch treatment which gives lovely aromatic lift. The ferment temperature is kept moderate (18-22c) to help retain fruit flavours and elegance. After pressing the wine was aged predominantly in older oak on its lees, with only 25% new oak used."