The Vineyard
Cape Mentelle’s Estate Vineyard was planted in 1970 and 1972 on a ridge of free draining lateritic gravel on an east west row orientation to minimise the affects of strong westerly sea breezes. Only block 3 from our Estate Vineyard was used in 2006 and being a very cool year some fruit from a 34 year old vineyard in the warmer Wilyabrub sub region of Margaret River was used in the blend.
The Season
The 2006 vintage in Margaret River was a challenging vintage for many reasons. In general it was a very cool vintage with a late budburst and restricted shoot growth early due to a cool and dry 2005 spring. When some warm weather arrived in November shoot growth accelerated producing strong healthy canopies with moderate crops. The summer months proved to be unseasonally mild with occasional light rain. The result was that harvest was delayed by up to four weeks across all varieties and was the latest vintage recorded the regions forty years of viticultural experience.
Winemaking
After destemming and light crushing, individual vineyard batches were fermented on skins for 15 - 20 days. At the desired balance of fruit and tannin extraction, each batch was gently basket pressed, with harder pressings kept aside. Once sugar dry, batches were racked to oak for malolactic fermentation followed by 18 months maturation incorporating regular rack and returns. 40% new French oak was used with the balance being 1 year old. The final blend was completed in September 2007 and bottled in December.
Analysis
14% alcohol, 6.5 g/l total acidity, 3.55pH.
The Australian Wine Companion 2010
Remarkable achievement for the vintage; medium-bodied cassis, blackcurrant: tannins fresh rather than green.
The Australian Wine Annual 2010
...it’s scented with dusty aromas of small red berries, fresh and lightly toasty cedar/chocolate oak... supple and elegant, with some pleasingly intense small black and red berry fruit and a hint of plum knit with sweet vanilla oak...
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