Graeme Melton, the founder of the Australian winery Charles Melton, came to the Barossa Valley quite by accident. It was as if fate itself intervened in his measured life.

It was 1973. Graeme was traveling through Australia by car with a friend. The young men were driving through the Barossa Valley when their vehicle suddenly broke down. There was no money to repair it, so they decided to earn it. So Graeme ended up in the cellar at the local Krondorf winery, where he soon met current Barossa Valley legend Peter Lehmann, who was working at Saltram Wines at the time. This meeting made a huge impression on the young man and inspired him to devote his life to working with wine.

Six years later, when Peter Lehmann founded his own company, Graeme joined him. The next decade proved to be a very busy one for the young winemaker. He honed his skills under the supervision of one of the best experts in the Barossa Valley and at the same time traveled to France, where he got acquainted with traditional European wines and instilled a good taste. At the same time, Graeme met Virginia Weckert, who became his wife and the financial director of their family winery. And, just as importantly, Peter Lehmann gave him the nickname «Charlie», which stuck as a household name and became his middle name.

In 1984, Charlie bought his first vineyard and began making his own wine under the «Charles Melton» label. His first wine was Sparkling Red. He soon purchased another 13 acres of land planted with Grenache and Shiraz (Syrah) vines and continued to develop his beloved business. Thus the small family winery gained national and international recognition for its fine table wines made from red grapes.

Charlie was one of the first to recognize the value of vintage vineyards. While many other winemakers were getting rid of Grenache, Mataro, and Shiraz vines to plant younger, more popular varieties, Peter Lehmann's apprentice helped preserve and enhance the Barossa Valley's rich heritage.