Cape Mentelle Margaret River Chardonnay 2018
- 95
- $55
- Drink by: 2021 - 2030
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From a fab vintage comes a fab, young chardonnay. Sourced from two vineyards from the cooler southern parts of the region, this chardonnay combines Margaret River ‘s predominant Gingin (aka Gin Gin) chardonnay clone – the luscious, sunny, sea breezy one – with two Burgundy chardonnay clones. Normally, this would not be worthy of special comment, but in this instance the three clones collude to produce a particularly complex result.
The scent is pure honeysuckle, lantana, mango skin, yellow peach and fig. The palate combines a tropical influence of mango, mandarin skin and nectarine with a nutty, nougat overlay. Then, in comes the Burgundian oak, influencing the wine with a savoury, almost Vegemite-y character to close. Juicy, brisk acidity lends its voice to the whole tasting experience.
This is a chardonnay that combines a complex number of influences to produce a complex result. You can taste it. Ask no more.
Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.
