Wine Region: Constantia

Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance 2019

Constantia, South Africa, Sweet, Cork, 14.00% abv
95
(2023) >p>Made from Muscat de Frontignan, Vin de Constance is a recreation of an iconic wine from the 1700s, said to be a favourite of Napoleon. The winemaking team used historical information to produce as close a copy as possible - even down to the bottle. From a year that produced small, concentrated berries, no fewer than 26 passes through the vineyard were made to select grapes ranging from high acidity, to raisined berries. Each pass was vinified separately and aged for 18 months in 50% new oak barrels, then a further 18 months in large format foudres. It's a fully sweet and luscious wine with 166g/l of residual sugar. It has all the gossamer-light aromatics of Muscat, floral and gently herbal, but opulence too, the fruit running from mango to pineapple. In the mouth a swathe of orange acidity cuts through the luscious flavours, buttery and rich enough, but always feather light. Price for 50cl. There are a lot stockists with prices ranging from £59 to £75, so use the wine-searcher link. Watch the video for more information.

Also recommended: the Disznókö Late Harvest Tokaji 2020. Cheapest price I can see currently is Master of Malt at £16.95, but use wine-searcher to find a lot more stockists.

Klein Constantia, Blanc de Blanc 2019

Constantia, South Africa, Sparkling White, Cork, 11.5% abv
89
(2023) From a single block of Chardonnay, this is the first time Klein Constantia have had the correct vintage conditions to make a zero dosage cuvée - this has less than 2g/l of residual sugar. Sherbetty notes are joined by developed autolytic notes that are bready and yeasty. There's a sour lemon background. In the mouth it is of course dry, with pithy lemon and grapefruit, but not aggressive. That little bit of creamy leesiness and again some sour lemon gives this balance in the finish, a fresh and featherlight style.    

Klein Constantia, Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Constantia, South Africa, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv
89
(2019) Super fresh, bright and elegant Sauvignon, a touch grassy, but beautifully clean and limpid, a real tangerine and lime brightness to the acidity, delicious and long, a really well balanced and pure expression.

Klein Constantia, Metis Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Constantia, South Africa, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv
91
(2019) Seems a touch leesy, wth a citrus peel touch of gripiness, but really it is still about the freshness and fruit refinement, from higher blocks this is also naturally fermented, with a richer, slightly earthier character, good mouthfeel, and still that long, tapering finish. Very bittersweet tang.

Klein Constantia, Clara Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Constantia, South Africa, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv
92
(2019)
A touch of wood for this, 500-litre neutral barrels, from a single vineyard right at the top of the hill. The creaminess and a touch of flint on the nose, a really juicy palate, chalky and lightly saline in the finish, with penty of grapefruit, lovely acidity and balance. This finishes with lovely precision again, the natural yeast ferment helping give it presence. This vintage is sold out at Lay & Wheeler.

Klein Constantia, Estate Red 2015

Constantia, South Africa, Dry Red, Cork, 14.5% abv
89
(2019)
Cabernet Sauvignon is 44% of this blend, with 29% Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Plum and cedar, with a touch of bloodiness, a touch of iron oxide ferrous character. Dry and plummy on the palate, it is savoury and chewy.

Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance 2015

Constantia, South Africa, Sweet, Cork, 14.0% abv
95
(2019)
Residual sugar is 172g/l here. Just gorgeous on the nose, the depth of the bouquet from the bush-vine Muscat, the heavy florals, sumptuous exotic Sandalwood and and lychee and marmalade. Heavenly perfume. Botrytis is deliberately avoided if at all possible, as only late-harvest grapes are desired. The palate has great silky richness, thick texture and nectarine, such lovely freshness and acidity, again that lick of saltiness adding to that clarity.

Klein Constantia, Vin de Constance 2012

Constantia, South Africa, Sweet, Cork, 14.0% abv
95
(2019)
There are 160g/l of sugar here, and the deeper colour is matched by slightly deeper aromas, still so much florals, a little bit of a leafy herbal character, but the underpinning of stone fruit juiciness is fabulous. The palate has also developed a toffee note of creaminess, trading that against the 2015's vibrancy, but it makes for a hugely overwhelming sensory experience, flavour, texture, the aroma each time you lift the glass to our nose. Fabulous.

Constantia Glen, Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Constantia, South Africa, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv
89
(2019) Stainless steel fermented, this is a juicy, ripe take on Sauvignon, a bit more herbaceous than the Klein Constantia, a little more weight and leesy texture too. There’s a green bean oiliness to the texture and flavour, dry, full textured and juicy.

Beau Constantia, Pierre White 2018

Constantia, South Africa, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv
92
(2019) A blend of 86% Sauvignon with Semillon, named after the owner. A nicely restrained nose, the elegance of the understated Sauvignon character with 1/3 new oak, 1/3 second fill oak, 1/3 Noblot cement tank. There’s an interesting herbal - but not herbaceous character here - beautifully textured and concentrated, a yellow plum fleshiness and lots of lime rind texture and weight. A mouth filling wine, but lovely acidity. Note price and stockist at time of review are for an earlier vintage.