Behind The Scenes Tour & Tasting

Join the Cape Mentelle team for the Behind the Scenes at Cape Mentelle.

The tour starts at 10.30am and guests will be asked to arrive at the cellar door by 10.20am, where you will be welcomed by your tour guide and host. 

The group will first visit the historic Wallcliffe Vineyard established in 1970. (Please wear flat closed in shoes)

The tour guide will discuss our viticultural practices and the influences on wine styles and quality. We discuss the historical reasons for the siting of the vineyard and beginnings of Margaret River as a wine growing region. The life cycle of the vine will be discussed in context of what is happening in the vineyard at any given time.

After the vineyard tour the group will walk over to winery. A detailed explanation of the wine making processes will be presented, this includes crushing/destemming, fermentation, maceration, pressing and barrel ageing. You will also learn the different techniques required for making white wine and red wines. 

Most days we will be able to do some ‘tank thieving’ – a term used to describe tasting directly from the tank. This is a seasonal option and therefore not always available.

Depending on wine-making activities on the day, the tour will continue to the Barrel Hall. The barrel hall stores all the oak aging wines. The tour guide will explain different types of oak barrels used at Cape Mentelle and their influence on the wine.

Questions are encouraged, and the guide will be happy to take questions at any stage of the tour. 

• Children aged 5-18 years are welcome on the walking component of the tour. The tour is not suitable for prams, but babies in a sling are welcome. 

• This is a 1.5 hour event finishing at approximately 12.00pm.

• One hour for the walking component of the tour followed by approximately 30 mins tasting of the current portfolio back in the cellar door will complete you Behind the Scenes experience.