Cape Mentelle Zinfandel 2020
- 92
- $65
- Drink by: 2023-2033
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From the Wallcliffe vineyard, their Zinfandel vines were planted in 1974. Cape Mentelle have long set the standard for Aussie Zin and, rather sadly, almost no one else has followed. 5% Shiraz is incorporated and the wine spent a year and a half maturing in a mix of French and Hungarian oak, half of which is new. Deep mauve in colour, the nose is a burly one with warm earth, chocolate, florals, rose petals and blackberries. It is a powerful and yet balanced wine of medium length with firm tannins with chocolate and cassis coming to the fore on the palate. This has a promising future and should drink well for the next eight to ten years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
