Cape Mentelle Trinders Cabernet Merlot 2022 Margaret River

Winemaking Notes
All of the estate-grown fruit is pruned, thinned, and leaf plucked by hand, carefully timed to ensure the correct rate of development for both tannin and flavour ripeness, with the aim of capturing a density of both colour and flavour in each parcel. After destemming, the fruit was lightly crushed to stainless steel static fermenters with selected yeasts, ensuring gentle extraction whilst both varieties were held on skins for 21 days. At the desired balance of fruit perfume and rounded tannin, each batch was basket pressed to preserve the wine's elegant structure and aromatic complexity. The major portion of the blend was assembled in December 2023, allowing the two varieties to integrate harmoniously through ageing, creating the well-rounded character that defines this wine. The wine was matured in barrel for 12 months, with 17% new French oak used to elevate the plush fruit and soft tannin profile of the wine without overwhelming the vibrant aromatics of cranberry, cassis, red cherries, and pomegranate. The final blend was assembled in spring and remained unfined prior to filtration and bottling, preserving the wine's light and attractive character with great energy and drive running through the mid-palate, supported by gentle, tickly tannins and fresh acidity that creates an enticing vitality.

Vintage Conditions
The 2023 season started with a mild spring and led into a dry and calm summer, providing ideal conditions for the steady development of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in Margaret River's perfectly suited climate and soils. Grapevine ripening continued steadily throughout harvest, which commenced mid-February, allowing the fruit to achieve optimal balance between tannin and flavour ripeness whilst retaining the fresh acidity and vibrant fruit character that define this wine. Overall, this was another stellar Margaret River growing season, showcasing the region's exceptional ability to produce outstanding Bordeaux varietal and blended wines for which Cape Mentelle has developed an international reputation. The dry and calm summer conditions allowed for even ripening across the vineyard, with careful hand pruning, thinning, and leaf plucking ensuring that each parcel developed the density of colour and flavour required for this premium blend. The mild spring provided a gentle start to the growing season, whilst the steady ripening through summer and into the mid-February harvest allowed the grapes to develop the vibrant aromatics, finer nuances of fresh oregano and sumac spice, and perfumed floral notes of purple flowers and lavender that characterise the 2022 vintage, resulting in a wine that captures the depth and structure of Cabernet with the dark fruit and plush flavours of Merlot in perfect harmony.