The winery
Cape Mentelle
A historic winery in Margaret River (Australia), known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and for being one of the region's "founding five."
- Margaret River · Australia
- Since 1970
- 2 products
The story
Cape Mentelle was founded by brothers David, Mark and Giles Hohnen, beginning with its first plantings at Wallcliffe Vineyard. The winery gained national and international acclaim in the 1980s, winning the Jimmy Watson Memorial Award for Cabernet Sauvignon in 1983 and 1984. Over the decades it expanded its vineyards, experimented with different varieties and underwent changes of ownership, and today is part of the group controlled by Endeavour/Pinnacle.
Production philosophy
Terroir-driven quality: viticultural practices aimed at expressing the coastal character and soils of Margaret River, an approach to varietal experimentation, and attention to environmental sustainability and vineyard longevity.
Terroir and vineyards
Located in the Margaret River wine region on the south-west coast of Western Australia, the winery benefits from a temperate maritime climate and well-drained soils; the name derives from the nearby Cape Mentelle promontory, and the flagship wine is traditionally linked to the Wallcliffe Vineyard.
Awards and recognition
Jimmy Watson Memorial Award; Entwine accreditation obtained in 2010.
Characteristics
- Grape varieties
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Semillon
- Shiraz
- Merlot
- Cabernet Franc
- Zinfandel
- Hectares
- 150.0
What makes it distinctive
- Founded in 1970 by the Hohnen brothers
- One of the 'founding five' of Margaret River
- Renowned for its Cabernet Sauvignon
- Recipient of the Jimmy Watson Memorial Award in 1983 and 1984.
- First winery in the region to obtain Entwine accreditation
- Sources report more than 150 hectares distributed across several vineyards.
