Charlotte Dalton Wines 2018 Eliza Pinot Noir has scored the top spot on the 2018/19 Hot 100 Wines list.

Hot 100’s judges chose the red as South Australia’s most drinkable wine, labelling it “stunning”.

“This ethereal wine drinks beautifully now and will develop into something even more special after time in the bottle,” the judges added. “[The] winemaker’s soft touch helps the wine glide seamlessly across the palate, like an unseen hand taking you to the promised land of flavour.”

Charlotte Hardy creates small batch wines in the Adelaide Hills sub-region of Basket Range, and releases them under the Charlotte Dalton brand name.

“What a huge, huge honour. I am so very, very proud,” Hardy said. “Thank you to everyone involved. I can’t begin to describe how happy I am. Thanks to all of my supporters, you all mean so much to me.”

Hardy revealed her surprising secret to making a great pinot to The Adelaide Review: ““I’m really mindful of respecting the fruit for Pinot, so I don’t really do anything to it. I bring it in, stick it in the fermenter and wrap it up in dry ice and leave it, and press it 13 days later. I use whole bunches, but I don’t ever punch down or pump over because I just don’t want to extract the green stalkiness. I like whole bunches because I like the idea of there being tens of thousands of tiny little ferments in those berries.” 

Hardy’s Love Me Love You Shiraz won three trophies at the 2018 Adelaide Hills Wine Show – Best Shiraz, Best Single Vineyard Wine and Best Wine of the Show.

She was also named one of the Young Gun of Wine Top 12 for 2017.

“I firmly believe that a wine must be made with a happy heart and a content soul,” said Hardy. “And that is, simply, why I make the Charlotte Dalton Wines – to bring me joy, happiness and contentedness, and to share those feelings through the wines.”

More than 1200 wines were entered into this year’s Hot 100 Wines. Here are the Top 10: 

1. Charlotte Dalton Wines 2018 Eliza Pinot Noir

2. Kangarilla Road 2015 The Veil Savagnin

3. 2018 Ridley Pinot x Three

4. Gentle Folk Wine 2018 Blossoms Pinot Noir

5. Shottesbrooke 2017 Single Vineyard Series Chardonnay

6. Loom Wine 2017 Soaring Kite Pinot Noir

7. Hentley Farm 2017 Tempranillo

8 Murdoch Hill 2017 Pinot Noir

9. CRFT Wines 2018 The K1 Vineyard Gruner Veltliner

10. Piccadilly Vineyards Piccadilly Circus 2016 Blanc de Blanc Sparkling
See the full list here