Cape Mentelle

David Hohnen established Cape Mentelle in 1970 alongside brothers Mark and Giles, planting the original 16-hectare Wallcliffe Vineyard just 4 kilometers from the Margaret River township. The winery became one of the region's 'founding five,' a cohort that effectively put Margaret River on the map as a world-class wine region. In 1983 and 1984, Cape Mentelle became the first Margaret River producer to win the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, awarded for its Cabernet Sauvignon, a feat that announced the region's potential to the broader Australian wine world.

• Founded 1970 by David, Mark, and Giles Hohnen on 16 hectares in Wallcliffe
• One of Margaret River's five founding wineries
• First Margaret River winery to win the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy (1983 and 1984)
• David Hohnen later founded Cloudy Bay in New Zealand in 1985, informing his work with Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blends

Cape Mentelle sits within Margaret River's cool maritime climate, where proximity to the Indian Ocean moderates temperatures and produces significant diurnal variation. The vineyards are planted on lateritic gravelly soils with high ironstone content, sandy clay loams underlaid by free-draining gravels and clay, and sandy loam topsoils with elevated organic matter. These well-drained, low-fertility soils stress the vines and concentrate flavour. The estate has expanded from its original Wallcliffe site to 150 hectares across four vineyard locations. Cape Mentelle achieved Entwine sustainability accreditation in 2010, the first winery in Margaret River to do so, and completed a full transition away from synthetic products by 2020.

• Cool maritime Mediterranean climate moderated by Indian Ocean breezes
• Lateritic gravelly soils with high ironstone content across all sites
• 150 hectares across four sites; Wallcliffe Estate approximately 40 hectares
• First in Margaret River to gain Entwine accreditation (2010); fully organic as of 2020

Cabernet Sauvignon is the winery's flagship variety, supported by Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec for blending. Shiraz and Grenache round out the red portfolio, while white wines centre on Chardonnay and the distinctive Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend that David Hohnen developed in parallel with his work at Cloudy Bay. Cape Mentelle is also notable as a pioneer of Zinfandel in Western Australia, with plantings dating to 1972 that rank among the oldest in the country. The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon earned 95 points from Jeremy Oliver, and the estate's Cabernet Sauvignon is a Langton's Classification benchmark for Australian quality.

• Cabernet Sauvignon is the signature wine and a Langton's Classification benchmark
• Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend reflects influence of David Hohnen's work at Cloudy Bay
• Zinfandel plantings from 1972 are among Australia's oldest
• Varieties include Chardonnay, Shiraz, Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec

Cape Mentelle passed from family ownership to Veuve Clicquot in 1990, then to LVMH in 2002, remaining within the luxury conglomerate until 2023. Endeavour Group acquired the estate in 2023. Despite changes in ownership, the winery has maintained its commitment to quality and sustainability, progressing its organic and biodynamic programme to full elimination of synthetic products by 2020.

• Sold to Veuve Clicquot in 1990, then absorbed into LVMH portfolio in 2002
• Owned by Endeavour Group from 2023
• Sustainability programme culminated in cessation of all synthetic product use in 2020