The Man From Margaret River

38.  2004 Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon (Margaret River - Western Australia)

I've always found the selection of Margaret River wines to be rather scarce in BC liquor stores.  As mentioned previously, I'd picked up a bit of a jones for the region while visiting down under back in 1996 - not that I made it as far as Perth and the West Coast.  Upon returning to Vancouver, I made a bee-line for one of the specialty shops but there were only a couple of wines available.  I remember that Cape Mentelle was one of them and it was affordable, being in the $20-$30 range - a bit of a splurge for a Tuesday night, but it wouldn't break the bank.  I continued to keep an eye out for it.

The winery doesn't seem to be on the shelves regularly nowadays though - which is too bad because it's garnering a lot of attention back in Oz as one of the premier producers in the Margaret River area and in the country.  I like my sauvignon blanc this way - not quite as grassy and acidic as is commonly found while so many strive to be New Zealand all over again.  However, that "restraint" might relate a bit to the fact that this was the 2004 vintage and the winemaker recommends that the wine be opened in the first couple of years.  The back label recounts that there is a bit of oak treatment, but it must be limited because it certainly didn't overpower the still noticeable fruit.

I hope to see more of Cape Mentelle.