Endeavour Group says the acquisition of Cape Mentelle Winery in Western Australia’s Margaret River is an important step in building the group’s Paragon Wine Estates fine wine portfolio. Endeavour bought the business from Moët Hennessy.
Endeavour Group CEO and managing director Steve Donohue said Cape Mentelle would give the business a premium presence in Western Australia.
“Anyone who has tried a Cape Mentelle Cabernet or Chardonnay knows just how special this winery is. I’m delighted to welcome Cape Mentelle to the Endeavour Group and Paragon Wine Estates families and to see it continue to grow on a global scale,” Donohue said.
The winery was established in 1970 by three brothers, David, Mark, and Giles Hohnen and was one of the founding five wineries of the Margaret River. From 16 hectares of vines, it now encompasses 135 hectares of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, shiraz, semillon, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay vines across four vineyards in the Margaret River region. In 1985, David Honen established Cape Mentelle’s sister winery, Cloudy Bay, in New Zealand. Cloudy Bay is not included in the sale.
Key Cape Mentelle staff will stay with the business, including estate director Penny Dickeson, viticulturist Dave Moulton and senior winemaker Eloise Jarvis.
The winery pioneered of many of the region’s renowned wine styles, with Honen experimenting with a diverse range of plantings. In 1972, he planted zinfandel grapes, with the robust wine becoming a core part of Cape Mentelle’s portfolio. The plantings were one of the first for the variety at a commercial vineyard in Western Australia.
With multiple awards recognising Cape Mentelle’s credentials, its flagship cabernet sauvignon is sourced primarily from the original 16 hectare vineyard known as the Wallcliffe Vineyard.
The winery embedded sustainability practices from the early days and is a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. In 2016, it adopted precision irrigation techniques that resulted in its water usage fall 60 per cent by 2019. It was the first winery in Western Australia to obtain the Entwine accreditation for its sustainability program.
As part of Paragon Wine Estates, Cape Mentelle joins Chapel Hill Winery, Krondorf Wines, Riddoch of Coonawarra, Shingleback Wines, Oakridge Wines in Victoria, Isabel Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand, and Josef Chromy Wines in Tasmania.
Completion of the transaction will take place in due course, pending licensing approval.
