A superb accord of elite parcels Cabernet Sauvignon from the oldest De Bortoli blocks in Yarra Valley. Fruit is sourced from two estate vineyards, suitably named Old Hill and Old Back, both established 1971. A beguiling overture of seductive dark Cabernet fragrances and fragrant jube berry flavours over fine integrated tannins. Like her eponymous opera star, Melba is conspicuous for her alluring perfumes, exceptional taste and intense crescendos, before an exquisite, memorable finish.

Vines are cane pruned to twenty bunches each and shoot thinned at the ten to fifteen centimetre stage so that there are no more than fifteen per planting. Grapes are hand picked into 8kg buckets and transported to the Dixon Road wineworks. Fruit is destemmed, crushed and tipped into six tonnes open fermenters. The musts are treated to a natural fermentation on skins at a minimum temperatures of 25C, followed by a spell of three weeks maceration. Batches are pressed, settled overnight and gravity filled to a selection of seasoned and new fine oak casks where they mature for a year or more at a very temperate 16C.