2023 Cape Mentelle Zinfandel, Margaret River

One of the most idiosyncratic and individual wines from Cape Mentelle, and indeed Western Australia. Zinfandel is rare here, but this season suited it perfectly, allowing ripeness and generosity without excess. Hand-picked, basket-pressed, and aged in oak for about 15 months, the result is a wine with liqueur, cherry, red fruit, and dark chocolate on the nose, and a vibrant, rich palate. It has the potential to cellar for several years. Drink to 2036.

94 points Ray Jordan, Wine Review 2026

Deep ruby in the glass, this is a no-holds-barred style of big red, with a concentrated, oak-influenced nose of vanilla, coconut and cedar over ripe blackberry and plum aromas with notes of dried cherry and rum-and-raisin chocolate. Full-bodied and intense, with jubey fruit and alcohol warmth (15%) on the palate, and definitive oak tannins that carry through. Drink to 2036.

90 points Melissa Moore for The Real Review, January 2026

The 2023 Cape Mentelle Zinfandel greets with aromas of liqueur marinated cherries and plums sprinkled with dark chocolate, mint, coconut shavings and vanilla essence. The nose overflows to the rich and voluptuous palate that feels vibrant despite the obvious alcohol warmth and notable oak character.

A good, cellared Zinfandel is a special occasion treat to be enjoyed with good friends. In the kitchen, lean into rich glazes, dense textural weight and natural fats that can absorb the wine's power. This wine would sit well with something like Dalmatian Peka-style octopus and potatoes, slow-braised duck legs in Oaxacan mole negro, or a charcoal-baked whole pumpkin with smoked goat's cheese, pecans and ancho chilli glaze.

More about this wine

Zinfandel a.k.a. Primitivo (in Italy) or Crljenak Kaštelanski (in its native Croatia) is heat loving variety that in its stronghold California tends to do best in dry, well-ventilated sites.

Cape Mentelle founder David Hohnen studied wine at Fresno State University in California when he became smitten by the variety. He planted cuttings of the variety in the Walcliffe vineyard in 1972 and was one of the first ones in Australia to so.

Those old bush vines remain productive but are now considerably lower yielding. The variety requires vigilance and hand-tending in the vineyard, as it easily overcrops, and its thin skins make it vulnerable to rot in cooler vintages. The 2023 season in Margaret River was one of moderation, with no heatwaves, cool nights and a long, dry lead up to harvest.

Cape Mentelle’s style sees de-stemmed fruit fermented in closed-top fermenters with an isolated yeast strain. Daily tasting guides the team on decisions on extraction and maceration, the total time on skins sitting around twenty days. The basket pressed wine matures for 15 months in a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak, with a portion renewed each vintage. The wine is unfined, but its coarse filtered prior to bottling.

About Cape Mentelle

Cape Mentelle is a Margaret River pioneer established in 1970 by brothers David, Giles and Mark Hohnen with the planting of what is now known as the Walcliffe Vineyard. The original 16 hectares of vines has over the years grown to 116 hectares, with a global export market for the well-regarded wines.

New Zealand born Annabel Angland leads the work in the vineyards, while Margaret River local David Moulton keeps things organised at the winery.