Cape Mentelle Wallcliffe Petit Verdot Cabernet Franc 2018

To be precise this is a four-way partnership of grapes, revealing the little one percenters – quite literally – that can go into making a quality wine. The break down is Petit Verdot (66%), Cabernet Franc (24%), Merlot (9%) and Shiraz (1%). What one percent of Shiraz brings to the whole I cannot say, but I love the fact that it’s there and clearly there is a reason for its presence. I also love the fact that by Petit Verdot standards the grape is nicely reserved, it’s not loud and bold but works well with its finer, more aromatically inclined blending partners. Lavender floral aromas mix with jalapeño, spice notes and black cherry, plum. The palate is plush and inviting but also tight in structure. Tannins are well in control and there’s potential for further ageing. Herbals come out to play – sage and thyme – in league with cherry, plum fruits and some distinguished French oak.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

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.

Wine writer and critic