CHARLOTTE DALTON
CURRENT RELEASES

2021 Young Gun of Wine - Winner

2023 ‘LOVE YOU LOVE ME’ SEMILLON

92 POINTS - “Adelaide Hills & semillon from the delightful Charlotte Hardy. This does semillon differently, & well. It’s quite textural, if not chewy, dotted with briny minerality, touched up with lightly creamy almond notes, lots of preserved lemon, a sprig of ginger. There’s an almost (pleasing) oxidative note to the wine, not distracting, just there, delivering extra dimension & interest. It’s inherently refreshing too. Charmer.”
Mike Bennie, THE WINE FRONT, Jul ‘24

91 POINTS - “Well managed oxidative handling & lees stirring all build texture in this wine. Pale lemon & lime colours shining through. Cut grass, lime juice & kiwifruit aromatics. Palate has a hint of smoky spice overlaid with grapefruit & mandarin citrus notes. A hint of beeswax adds another layer of complexity. Good length, with a gentle fuzz of phenolics to the finish.”
Stuart Knox, THE REAL REVIEW, Feb ‘24

2023 ‘Grace’ chardonnay

93 POINTS - “The texture of this wine is something, all chalky, dry & straw-like. It's not a wine of out-and-out power in fruit-intensity terms, relying more on elegance & charm. But it's in the latter department that it really excels; one sip of its nectarine, hay, honeysuckle & apple flavours and it's hard to stop yourself from, over & over, diving in for more.” Campbell Mattinson, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Nov ‘23

92 POINTS - “From the Deanery Vineyard in Balhannah, Adelaide Hills. Wild fermented, a bit of lees stirring, bottled unfined & unfiltered. A light yet textural affair, breezy with its gentle stone fruits, grapefruit, red apple & lemon balm characters in the perfume. The palate leaning a bit more into preserved lemon, ginger, a touch of light quince & cinnamon-vanilla cream. A faint chalkiness in texture through the finish adds some pizzazz & the trail of briny minerality that lingers is a delight. A gentle, delicate wine of, well, grace.”
Mike Bennie, THE WINE FRONT, Feb ‘24

2023 ‘A CHANGE IS COMING’ PINOT NOIR

92 POINTS - “This is a light, sweet-sour pinot with orange & cranberry flavours married to lavender & fennel. There are some undergrowth characters here too; it's a light, serious-fun, textural red that, if it could talk, would beg for food. It's a red wine, but the refreshment factor is high here.”
Campbell Mattinson, HALLIDAY, Apr ‘24

2023 ‘FRED’ FIANO

91 POINTS - “A touch more colour in such a young wine suggests some skin contact or perhaps more oxidative vessels were used. Waxy notes of green apple skin, apple blossom & almonds make for an inviting nose. A fleshy core of apples & honey rides on a spine of acidity. This is a lovely fiano with interest. It’s going straight into my fridge.”
Gabrielle Poy, THE REAL REVIEW, Mar ‘24

2022 ‘LOVE ME LOVE You’ SHIRAZ

93 POINTS - “This is very good Adelaide Hills shiraz. The encroaching warmth of the region reverberates across palate-staining dark fruits as much as the cooler reductive handling & communique of dried nori, olive smear & meaty bouillon lathers the finish. A waft of Aussie menthol dries the sweet finish in the best sense, saving a stray into excess.”
Ned Goodwin MW, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Apr ‘23

2022 ‘LOVE YOU LOVE ME’ SEMILLON

92 POINTS - “This is delicious. A variety that boasts a far broader personality than the Hunter suggests. This, a wine that exploits it with moxie. A period of skin inflection imparts ginger crystals, tamarind & mandarin chutney. Pomelo & glazed quince, too. The finish, gritty & skinsy of texture with a waft of dried tatami straw.”
Ned Goodwin MW, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Mar ‘23

2022 ‘Grace’ chardonnay

93 POINTS - “This is an excellent example of a non-mlf chardonnay, coaxed from a mid-weighted neutrality by a deft touch of skin contact, judicious lees work & a minimalist aura. Kudos! Pear drop, tatami straw & a rifle of aldehyde in the best sense. This is very good imminent drinking.”
Ned Goodwin MW, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Mar ‘23

PREVIOUS RELEASES

2022 ‘FRED’ FIANO

93 POINTS - “The ever-reliable Fiano delivers the goods. This spent 4 months in used barriques. Passionfruit & blood orange flavours are unusual, but enjoyable thanks to the texture.
James Halliday, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION, Jun ‘23

2021 ‘Love Me Love you’ Shiraz

92 POINTS - “Bright ruby-red colour. Mulberry, bouquet garni & dry earth aromatics. Medium-bodied with bright red berry fruits, hints of bay leaf & supple earthy hints. Tannins & a lick of acidity control the exuberance & drive the palate long. There’s a freshness here that will work with lighter meats very well.”
Stuart Knox, THE REAL REVIEW, Sep ‘22

2020 ‘Love Me Love you’ Shiraz

94 POINTS - “A smaller production of this wine, due to local bushfires & drought, but it stands up well with a cast of fresh red fruits, including raspberry, bringing a singular juiciness. New oak (35%) is present but well integrated, a background note to all of the lively fruit, spice & pepper happening upfront.”
Jeni Port, 2023 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION

2021 ‘A cHANGE IS COMING’ PINOT NOIR

92 POINTS - “You don't see the late, great Sam Cooke quoted on wine labels, but here he is. Bright, fragrant, an ode to the fruit & little or nothing but the fruit. Fresh-picked raspberries, red cherries, cranberries, all spiced up with hints of summer pudding sweetness & musk. It's ready to go right now, supple & perfect for early drinking.”
Jeni Port, 2023 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION

91 POINTS - “Sloshy, spicy but light weight pinot noir, almost rose-like freshness & lift, crunch & tartness – it’s a thirst-quenching kinda style & feels good to slurp down with a chill. There’s some rustic earthiness & dried, woody spice in here too, but all makes up for an interesting, slightly edgy & compelling experience.”
Mike Bennie, THE WINE FRONT, Dec ‘21

2021 ‘Grace’ chardonnay

92 POINTS - “…This white from winemaker Charlotte Hardy is a delicious riff on Chardonnay. She has injected personality into this wine with some clever oxidative winemaking, while maintaining a sense of purity. It’s fleshy & favoursome, taking you on a savoury, saline journey. Aromas of cashews, nutmeg & grapefruit pith make way for a sinewy & energetic core. It’s quite harmonious with a nice flow & some complex flavours. It finishes with a tangy line of acidity.”
Gabrielle Poy, THE REAL REVIEW, Oct ‘22

2019 ‘Ærkeengel’ Semillon

92 POINTS - “Semillon, & barrel aged. Really creamy, nutty, honeyed & ripe lemony – super delicious, moreish & generous in its way. Supple, flowing & mellow in its character, well resolved savouriness into richer citrus fruits & latent sweetness. A really nice, soft, complex white.”
Mike Bennie, THE WINE FRONT, Nov ‘21