Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon Marri 2023

In 1973, Robert Mondavi visited the Margaret River region of Western Australia on the advice of Dr. Harold Olmo, a legendary UC Davis viticulture professor. Mondavi was seeking new places to invest and received an invitation to visit the region from the Horgan family, who went on to establish Leeuwin Estate. Mondavi was so impressed with the area that he attempted to buy the fledgling winery because he felt that Margaret River was the most perfect place in the world to make wine. Although he ultimately did not establish his winery in the region, his enthusiasm launched an entire industry that today includes over 200 wineries. Our features this week come from a winery that actually predates Mondavi’s visit by three years and is considered one of the standard-bearers of the region more than 50 years later.

The Cape Mentelle Winery was established in 1970 by the Hohnen brothers, who quickly gained a reputation for exceptional quality. One of their ideas was to plant their vineyards using the local Marri trees as borders to create a windbreak. Due to the high-quality fruit attributed to this practice, they began using the Marri trees on their labels in 1976. Eventually, they sold the winery to LVMH, which continued the tradition for over 30 years. In 2023, it was purchased by Paragon Wine Estates, which created a new entry tier for the iconic brand, aptly naming it after the Marri trees. These wines are beautiful, exhibiting new-world ripeness combined with old-world character.

It is not easy to categorize the Cabernets from Margaret River. They possess plump, forward fruit like New World examples but also have a finesse and lightness that you rarely find in California. At the same time, they are rounder and more supple than Bordeaux wines, yet share a similar weight. Confused? Stop in and try this wine to find out for yourself! This wine has classic Cabernet notes of black currant and boysenberry, with hints of cranberry sauce and black pepper. It hits the palate with a punch of fruit before transitioning to forest floor and tobacco notes. Pair this wine with meatloaf, sirloin steaks with mushroom sauce, or baked salmon.