1999 Cabernet Sauvignon
Slow ripening ensured good fruit intensity and balance.
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.
Nose
A wine that echoes the perfect season with deep and powerful notes of cedar, old leather, spice and herbs along with black truffle and dried plum on the nose driven by good freshness.
Palate
The palate is elegant with sweet rich spice, very fine cocoa powder chars, blackberry, briar and bramble with a warm and round mouthfeel
Blend
100% cabernet sauvignon.
Cellaring
Peaking now or age until 2022
The Vineyard
The fruit sourced for this wine comes from the estate’s Wallcliffe Vineyard, planted between 1970 and 1972. The vineyard is located 8km from the ocean, with an elevation of 80 metres and a south-west aspect. The vines grow on gravel laterite soils derived from decomposed ironstone over gravelly, clay sub-soils. Vine spacing is 2200 vines/hectare with all vines vertically trained and cane pruned so that 30 - 40 buds are left on each vine. Judicious shoot and leaf removal is carried out in late summer to open up the canopy. Trickle irrigation is applied sparingly, combined with a springtime composting to maintain vine health and ensure that physiologically ripe grapes are harvested.
The Season
A cold wet winter preceded a fine spring with mild nights and light winds. This led to a late but prolific budburst and flowering, producing a potential abundance of fruit. Early summer provided just enough rain and heat to keep vines progressing steadily after the later than usual veraison. Vintage started late because of the mild weather and the extra crop the vines had to carry, but the slower ripening ensured good fruit intensity and balance.
Analysis
14.6% alcohol; 6.4g/l acidity; 3.56pH
