Cabernet Sauvignon

This is the ultimate expression of a single vineyard site crafted from the mature, low yielding vines of our Estate Vineyard. This opulent cabernet has the complexity, intensity and elegance to benefit from extended cellaring.

Vintage Notes

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Cape Mentelle has a rich history of exceptional quality and consistency with Cabernet Sauvignon from a pioneering producer in Margaret River in the early 1970's to a benchmark producer today. A single vineyard wine with the style evolving over time, the aim always to define a wine displaying classic varietal character and opulence, strong regional identity and with the structure and fruit intensity to improve with extended cellaring.

Appearance

Dark, vibrant ruby red.

Nose

A complex and balanced mix of redcurrants, boysenberry, coffee and rolled tobacco with a touch of violets and lavender.

Palate

Inky and complex fruit with great poise and intensity combining dark berries, couverture and wet slate with velvety tannins leading to a long, cool and mineral fi nish.

Blend

96% cabernet sauvignon, 4% merlot.

Cellaring

Drink now to 2030.

Food Pairing Notes

A wild herb crusted rack of Margaret River lamb served on a ratatouille with roasted kipfl er potatoes.

Show Technical Notes and Reviews

The Vineyard

Cape Mentelle’s Estate Vineyard was fi rst planted in 1970 and 1972 with additional plantings in 1988 on a ridge of free draining lateritic gravel on an east west row orientation to minimise the affects of strong westerly sea breezes. For over 30 years the best parcels of cabernet have been carefully managed to produce grapes with full concentrated flavour and with a firm yet fine tannin profile. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted berry by berry to ensure the best possible expression of fruit character and structure each year.

The Season

The 2010 harvest in Margaret River continues a run of excellent vintages again marked by a very dry and mild summer with below average rainfall and cooler than average night time temperatures. The only significant rainfall for the vintage period was not until mid-April after all the fruit had been harvested ensuring an excellent ripening period with fruit retaining pristine varietal fl avours with great concentration and intensity.

Winemaking

The hand picked fruit underwent destemming and berry sorting followed by light crushing. Individual vineyard batches were fermented on skins for up to 30 days. At the desired balance of fruit and tannin extraction, each batch was gently basket pressed, with harder pressings kept aside. The individual parcels were racked to oak following pressing for malolactic fermentation. Regular rackings over an 18 month period ensured the individual wines were at their best prior to blending. The wines were matured in selected Bordeaux coopered barriques of which 40% were new with the balance being one year old. The final blend was completed in October 2011 and bottled in December 2011.

Analysis

13.5% alcohol, 6.3g/l total acidity, 3.6 pH.

The West Australian Wine Guide 2013

Ray Jordan

“RED WINE OF THE YEAR”

A more regal and refined version than the marvellous 2009. So effortlessly silky through its mid palate to that long finish. The palate displays beautifully integrated fine grained oak and superb fruit quality. It’s powerful and classic, yet so subtle. Great wine..... again.

Wine Taste

Tyson Stelzer

Announcing another outstanding Cape Mentelle with an immense future before it. Epic poise meets understated generosity, clocking in at a refreshing 13.5% alcohol. The complexity on display this year is mind-boggling: within its signature frame of blackcurrants, high cocoa dark chocolate and cedar come nuances of coal, even black olives, hovering with haunting persistence. High quality, cedary oak provides impeccable support. Its honed structure is scaffolded to exacting precision, a mouth-enveloping assault of superfine, gravelly, graphite-like tannins, promising to hold it in good stead for a very long time.

Sunday Time Perth

David Prestipino

An elegant wine that’s long, firm and razor-tight, but with great freshness and upfront fruit. Enjoy grandiose dusty tannins, refined cassis, eucalyptus perfumed violet. Will age gracefully

Wine Front

Campbell Mattinson

In-grained, unforced complexity. Dried tobacco, gravel, mulberry and perfumed dried herbs. A burst of pure blackcurrant, as you’d expect, and want. Excellent flow but with an appropriate tether of tannin. Eucalypt. Has everything under control and a lot to offer. It’s soft and seductive now but for its best it really needs a good sleep in the cellar. Fine release.

Download all reviews for this vintage as PDF

Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Tasting Notes