A Pioneer of Margaret River Winemaking

HISTORY

Our Story

The winery takes its name from the nearby Cape, named by the French Baudin Expedition during its charting of the Western Australian coastline in 1801. The Cape was named in honour of two distinguished French scientists—geographer Edme Mentelle and his cartographer brother François-Simon Mentelle, who lived in Paris during the early 1700s.

The Beginning

Wine industry pioneer David Hohnen, together with his brothers Mark and Giles, established Cape Mentelle Vineyards in 1970. The Cape Mentelle story began modestly with just 16 hectares of vines planted at what is now known as the Wallcliffe Vineyard. In those early years, David experimented with a range of grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Many of these original vines continue to produce the distinctive wines that define Cape Mentelle today, with the winery’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon sourced primarily from the original Wallcliffe Vineyard.

Establishing a Reputation

Cape Mentelle cemented its place among Australia’s leading wineries after winning the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Award for the Best One-Year-Old Dry Red Wine in 1983, followed by a second consecutive win in 1984.

These achievements established Cape Mentelle as one of Australia’s premier wine producers, with its Cabernet Sauvignon now widely recognised as one of the country’s benchmark wines.

The essence of Margaret River

The vision for Margaret River as a premier wine-growing region began with what agronomist Dr John Gladstones described as a “gut feeling.”

Having studied the region extensively, Dr Gladstones recognised its exceptional potential. He identified well-drained ironstone gravel soils, healthy marri trees (Eucalyptus calophylla), and a climate with striking similarities to Bordeaux. Combined with Margaret River’s warmer, sunnier conditions and drier ripening period, these natural advantages created ideal conditions for producing premium wine.

The region’s maritime location, influenced by the Indian and Southern Oceans, moderates temperatures, reduces the risk of spring frost, and provides an exceptional environment for growing the classic Bordeaux grape varieties.

Recognising these unique conditions, Dr Gladstones concluded that Margaret River possessed all the essential characteristics for world-class viticulture. Cape Mentelle became one of the region’s pioneering vineyards, planting its first vines in 1970.

More than 50 years later, Margaret River is internationally recognised as one of the world’s great wine regions, producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon. Today, its wineries are celebrated for crafting wines with distinctive varietal character that express the region’s extraordinary terroir and spectacular natural landscape.

EXPLORE THE REGION

The Cape Mentelle Team

The experienced and innovative team at Cape Mentelle are always progressing with forward looking ideas, handcrafted wines and an international perspective.

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