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2021 Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon, Cape Mentelle

2021 Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon, Cape Mentelle

Margaret River, Australia

Wallcliffe Power

Cape Mentelle’s 2021 Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon is Margaret River Cabernet with history in its bones and polish in every corner. Drawn from the estate’s Wallcliffe heritage vineyards, it opens with blackberry, black cherry, plum and cassis, layered with pink and purple flowers, liquorice, dried herbs, cigar box, dark chocolate and a cool thread of nori.

On the palate, it is rich, focused and elegant, with redcurrant and cassis at the centre, firm but finely managed tannins and a long, energetic finish. The 2021 vintage gives freshness and depth in equal measure, making this both approachable now and built for a long future. A serious Australian Cabernet with pedigree, structure and real cellar confidence.

For when
The steak is excellent, the glasses are large, and the bottle needs to carry a little history.

Pairs with
Beef Wellington, ribeye, roast lamb, venison, charcuterie, Manchego, aged cheddar, mushroom pie, short rib or porcini arancini.

Cape Mentelle is one of Margaret River’s founding estates, established in 1970 by David Hohnen and his brothers Mark and Giles. The estate helped define the region’s reputation for world-class Cabernet, most famously with consecutive Jimmy Watson Trophy wins in 1983 and 1984. Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon draws on that legacy, giving a powerful yet elegant expression of the Wallcliffe vineyards that made Cape Mentelle a benchmark name.

Whats in the bottle
96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot

Notable Awards
96/100, Winepilot

£52.00 - £52.00
£52.00
£52.00 - £52.00
£52.00
Availability:
In stock

Cape Mentelle is one of the true pioneers of Margaret River, founded in 1970 by David, Mark and Giles Hohnen. As one of the region’s founding five wineries, it played a major role in proving that Margaret River could produce Cabernet Sauvignon of international standing. The estate’s early Cabernet success was extraordinary, with consecutive Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy wins in 1983 and 1984 helping put both Cape Mentelle and Margaret River firmly on the fine-wine map.

The original 16-hectare Wallcliffe Vineyard remains central to the Cape Mentelle story and is the source of much of the estate’s flagship Cabernet identity. Today, the winery continues to build on that heritage with detailed viticulture, precise parcel selection and a style that prizes power, elegance and longevity.

The 2021 Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot, bottled at 14.1% alcohol. Fruit comes from Cape Mentelle’s Wallcliffe heritage vineyards, where mature vines are managed with detailed canopy work to encourage airflow, sunlight penetration and even ripening.

The 2021 season was unusually varied, beginning with a cold, wet spring before shifting into a hot, dry summer. February rainfall helped refresh the canopy for later-ripening varieties, while mild conditions at the end of the season preserved natural acidity and built flavour depth. Humidity created extra vineyard pressure, making leaf removal and fruit thinning important for achieving full ripeness.

The grapes were hand-picked in the cool early morning, destemmed, hand-sorted and lightly crushed into closed-top fermenters. Individual parcels were fermented separately with selected yeasts, with extraction guided by daily tasting. Maceration lasted up to 27 days before basket pressing. The wine was aged for 18 months with limited racking, using 43% new French oak, then bottled unfined and filtered in November 2022.