1801

THE NAMING OF CAPE MENTELLE

Nicholas Baudin, who charted the coast in 1801, named the cape at the entrance to the Margaret River “Cape Mentelle” after the Mentelle brothers, two notable French scientists. Geographer Edmund and his cartographer brother Francois-Simon lived in Paris in the early 1700s.

1850

MARGARET RIVER FIRST SETTLED

Margaret River, town and the river were named after Margaret Whicher, a cousin of the founder of Busselton, John Bussell.
The area was settled as early as the 1850s, becoming a centre for timber cutting from the 1870s.

1960

FIRST VINES PLANTED IN MARGARET RIVER

Agriculturalist Dr. John Gladstones surveyed the region and deemed the area to be very suitable for quality grape production.

Dr. Tom Cullen established the first vineyard, Vasse Felix, in 1967. This was soon followed by the other “founding five wineries”, including Cape Mentelle.

1970

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
CAPE MENTELLE VINEYARDS

Wine industry pioneer David Hohnen and his brothers Mark and Giles established Cape Mentelle Vineyards. Our phenomenal Cape Mentelle journey started small with just 16 hectares of vines planted on what is now referred to as the “Wallcliffe Vineyard”.

1983

CAPE MENTELLE WINS BACK TO BACK
JIMMY WATSON TROPHIES

Cape Mentelle pioneered many of this remote region’s renowned wine styles and helped to put Margaret River on the world wine map by winning Australia’s most prestigious wine show award, the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, in consecutive years with its 1982 and 1983 Cabernet Sauvignons.