Cape Mentelle was established in 1970 by brothers David, Mark and Giles Hohnen. It is one of the founding wineries of Margaret River and cemented its position as a premium wine maker when it won the coveted Jimmy Watson Memorial Award for the best one year old dry red wine in 1983 and 1984. It is now one of the oldest wineries in the region.
Cape Mentelle now has over 150 hectares of its own vines across four vineyards, compared to just 16 hectares of vines when it started (now known as the Wallcliffe Vineyard). This is where the winery’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced. Primary plantings are Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, with smaller amounts of Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel. The site also has ample water, deep gravelly soils, is sheltered by surrounding bush and fanned by gentle south-westerly winds.
