Cape Mentelle, Shiraz, Margaret River

Good colour and not currently showing much age. The nose shows very ripe crushed berry intermingled with plum with hints of baking spice, I'd think it'd have been a warm vintage. Big round mouth filling palate, soft fine tannins, mellow and nicely balanced. I'll try another bottle in another year or three.

2010 vintage

Hearty yet noticeably not hot climate, nor dolled up with oak. Really starting to come into its own as a kind of Rhone inspired Shiraz and yet different. Very well made. Deft. Meticulous.

2010 vintage

Fresh complex though still quite useful. The smidge of oak on the finish is very well judged and rather nice. Classy medium weight Shiraz. Or closer to Syrah but without any geraniums. Another 10 years easily but drinks well now. 13.5%

2010 vintage

Drying out, but pretty enjoyable when drunk in under an hour by some friends and I this afternoon.

2010 vintage

alluring, raisin, leather, slight alcohol, concentrated dark fruits, still juicy, hint of saline, burnt caramel, silky, slight grip at the end, a joy to drink, closer to the end but great drinking.

2000 vintage

Rich and full bodied, not in a sweet way but more savoury. Excellent with food.

2011 vintage

Brownish colour, orange edges, medium intensity. Mature pronounced bouquet of sweet, dried fruit. Raisins and leather. Burnt tires. A hint of vanilla. On the palate, a slight sweetness, medium acidity, low(+) tannins (grinded), full bodied. Flavours as on nose. Agile texture at start, then drying the palate. Concentrated. Slightly jammy. Warm. (14,5%). Good overall impression with regard to age. Still fruit there, but in decline.

2000 vintage

This has matured into a more traditional ripe shiraz. Quite different than in its youth. Hearty but less full throttle than Barossa or McLaren Vale. Oak is subtle.

2010 vintage

Lovely wine. A friend I was drinking it with, reckoned it one of the best wines he’d ever tasted.

2011 vintage

Elegant and drying. Red fruited but lacked engagement and complexity/depth for me. A little simple - not unpleasant. Only half the bottle every got drunk - says something.

2016 vintage

Dark inky purple in colour with a potpourri nose, with lavender, bark, blueberries, and a hint of fennel; silky fine tannin holds a blend of plum and red fruits with a light gravely edge and potpourri finish. Not much pepper in sight. Very mid weight.

2010 vintage

Aug2020, A robust wine with oak and tannins still present. No rush to drink but unsure if it will soften with more age.

2010 vintage

What Dennis said - really comes alive with food. Needs the right mest pairing to come to full way. I would decant for a few hours first.

2016 vintage

deep purple; tannic, intense, full bodied, quite long; cassis, plum, pepper, cloves, liquorice, mint, chocolate

2016 vintage

Cape Mentelle Shiraz 2010- Velvety and smooth but full on flavour and length. Can still taste a little Oak and is just all beginning to come together in the bottle. Will re-try in 3 or 4 years time. Definitely has longer left in the bottle but where this wine is heading it could be quite magical for what it cost 5 years ago.

2010 vintage

Rich, Spicy and tannic

2000 vintage

Not too bad, screwcap

2011 vintage

This wine once drew inspiration from Southern Rhone, with stems and some Grenache in the blend. It was an opulent wine, that developed complexity quite quickly (10 years). Today the inspiration is far more Northern Rhone. The wine is tighter, more refined, with florality, fresh acidity, and perhaps more oak. Quite a beautiful wine, with good ripeness and depth of flavour. If this was from the Northern Rhone it would be vastly more expensive. At five years of age (under …

2010 vintage

Needed time to open up. Cool Margaret River fruit, perfumed, with violet and green leaves dominating at first, then fatter plum fruit, raspberry, notes of cold cuts too. Excellent balance and finish. Although Cape Mentelle might be a slightly boring brand I'd have to say that their wines are currently excellent.

2011 vintage

Intriguing wine. To be honest I did not enjoy the first glass. Impressive opulent exotic but oh so young. It's richer than the typical Northern Rhone syrah but still floral and cosmetic that I find very hard to enjoy in young wine. Intellectually interesting but hard to enjoy. I kept half a bottle in a half bottle (no air) sealed with screw cap. After about 3 days in the fridge I warmed it and tried again. Still a young wine …

2011 vintage

I love the slightly alien quality to the Syrah fruit here, with leafy green tones, dewy undergrowth, sandalwood, deep blackberry fruit. Great balance on the palate, nothing is overdone, just a well tuned band playing black fruit, toasted spice, and fresh acidity. Goes down with minimal effort. Cape Mentelle are on a hot streak, I think.

2010 vintage

Cool, perfumed, otherworldly and medicinal, intoxicating. Asian spice, crude oil, chemical blackberry, leafy herbs. Medium to full on the palate, fresh, crunchy fruit, perfectly pure and poised. Maybe a bit thin around the hips but this is very nice in a strange and yet very attractive way. Will improve, no doubt. Exotic, intriguing, different. Is this Shiraz? I suppose so, and I like it very much. 90+

2011 vintage

Medium body, shy reticent floral nose, some funky stalk and spicy menthol. Palate takes it up a notch with a serious savoury intensity...that needs more time to reveal all, after time in decanter revealing complex black fruits, licorice, herbs, grilled nuts with plenty of spices, not white pepper though, maybe halfway between a cool climate Victorian syrah and warmer climate SA shiraz. There is quite a tannic chinotto like bitterness on the long finish though that may not be for …

2011 vintage

As expected of what I've read about Margaret River styles, an elegant and lighter wine despite being Shiraz, compared to the rest of Aus. Opens with a subtle hint of violets and flowers, then evolves into bright blue fruits like blueberry. Some light spice underlying, but the freshness and clarity of this really stands out, as expected from the beautiful light purple. This style is an eye-opener, but if your idea of Shiraz is rich, full-bodied, tannic, and brimming with …

2011 vintage

Picking some Australian Shiraz (plus a private dinner) (Vila Viniteca - Madrid) : Fresh and Atlantic-like wine full of aromas of eucalyptus. Earthy yet monolithic and pretty alcoholic. Maybe also petroleum. On the palate harsh and hot. Astringent. Almost unpolished at this moment. Fresco y Atlántico con aromas a eucalipto. Terroso pero monolítico y bastante alcohólico. Quizás también petróleo. Áspero y calentito en boca. Astringente. Casi desagradable en este momento.

2011 vintage

At J. Sheekey (Covent Garden, London). Sweet deep nose, but totally savoury on the palate. Meaty, deep, blueberries and plums with a lifted note of grilled herbs.

2011 vintage

Clear, medium ruby, presence of legs. Clean, medium+ intensity complex developing nose, vanilla, plums, blackberries, black pepper and hints of licorice. Dry, medium refreshing acidity, medium+ juicy tannins, medium+ body, medium delicate alcohol, high intensity flavours, plums, black cherries, black pepper, vanilla and hints of licorice. Medium+ finish. Very good quality, very well balanced, it's expressive and it has some complexity. Drink now, but has potential for further ageing.

2010 vintage

Over-ripe, syrupy. Structure was ok, but not my cup of tea. Fruit bombed...

2000 vintage

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Cape Mentelle, Shiraz, Margaret River

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