2016 Semillon
Drawing inspiration from great Australian semillon, Cape Mentelle aims to honour this heritage with a rich and complex wine showcasing the intensity, focus and uniqueness of this often under-appreciated variety. Semillon performs exceptionally well in Margaret River and is a standout white variety that is typically blended with sauvignon to make the region’s signature sauvignon blanc semillon and semillon sauvignon blanc wines.
Nose
The nose is intense and varietal, full of bergamot, marzipan, white pepper and essential oils intermingled with exuberant wisteria flower notes.
Palate
The palate is fresh, linear and mineral while displaying a uniquely rich texture with notes of citrus, white nectarine, biscotti and cashew butter. The feeling is bold and intense and will gain further complexity with cellaring. The ageing potential of this wine is obvious, particularly in the long, fresh and spicy finish strongly supported by oak.
Blend
100% semillon
Cellaring
Drink through many years to enjoy the evolution to at least 20 years
Food Pairing Notes
This semillon will perfectly suit decadent dishes such as foie gras, scallops in cream sauce, corn fed chicken with morels or salted caramel desserts. Also an obvious match for cheese platters.
The Vineyard
The fruit comes exclusively from the two tiny south-facing blocks 4 and 7 of the Chapman Brook vineyard, the most southern and inland of our properties. The typical soils of these vineyards are geologically ancient, free draining sandy loams with a high percentage of lateritic gravel. The vines are vertically trained, spurpruned and canopy manipulations are repeated throughout the season to allow good air flow and bright sunlight on the fruit.
Winemaking
Early in the ripening season, the semillon from blocks 4 and 7 showed intense varietal characters, mostly white peppercorns and an exceptionally oily texture. The fruit was machine-picked in the coldest hours of the morning to allow for a maximum of skin contact before pressing. The juice was fermented in 100% new French oak barrels and stayed in the same barrels undisturbed, unsulphured and on lees all the way to the bottling in January 2017. This wine is meant for ageing and will reward patience with a different personality expressing itself every few months.
Analysis
12.5% alcohol, 7.1 g/l total acidity, 3.13 pH