Mount Pleasant sits high on the edge of the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills wine regions, an area known for producing fragrant, complex and spice-laden Shiraz. It wasn’t until fairly recently that Charles Melton discovered his site here was zoned Adelaide Hills rather than Barossa. The fruit was hand-picked and fermented cool with 15% whole bunches. It completed its fermentation and matured for 28 months in new French oak, and was bottled unfined.

2021

“A truly cracking example of what can be achieved in the Adelaide Hills from a wonderful vintage. 100% new French oak, though it swallows it without a hitch. This is a bit like wandering through an Indian spice market, full of every imaginable smell and aroma, on a cool day. I could smell this wine all day. Seamless in structure, this is generous and yet refined, with superb silky tannins, great length, immaculate balance and so persistent. This has another ten years of pleasure ahead of it, likely more, but one almost wonders how it could get much better.” 97 points, Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot

“An elegant shiraz, there’s a raspberry top note to the wine, red plum and black cherry beneath with hints of spice, pan juices, bay leaf, cedar, dried orange rind, almond blossom and crushed stone. There’s such a graceful slide of fruit across that palate, silky tannins and some lovely plum skin acidity. It’s such a balanced and delicious wine now but I can see some upside that’s for sure.” 97 points, Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion

Matthew Jukes’ 100 Best Australian Wines 2025 (honourable mention)

95 Points, Gold Medal, International Wine Challenge 2025