The 2019 Vin de Constance is matured for 18 months in 500-liter Hungarian and French oak barrels, 50% new, followed by another 18 months in oak foudres. The growing season saw more sunlight hours than previous vintages (2,998 compared to 2,588 in 2018 for example). It has an understated nose, almost Sauternes-like even if it does not contain an ounce of botrytis. Subtle nutty aromas percolate through the wild honey and quince scents, wax resin and lanolin. The palate is medium-bodied and very pure. Disarmingly fine acidity, it is slightly Germanic towards the finish. with a hint of lemongrass lingering on the aftertaste. This is a superb Vin de Constance under the tenure of Matt Day that is a step closer to what you might confusingly call a non-sweet dessert wine.
98/100, Jane Anson: Vin de Constance takes the category of sweet wines to a new level, and this is another stunning success from them. Expect succulent pear, quince, apple, peach pit, tarte tatin, wonderfully seductive and opulent but never taking a single step over the line. Second year on the Place for this iconic wine. Winemaker Matthew Day.
97/100, James Suckling: Bright, medium to deep gold hue, showing focused and pure aromas of honeysuckle, fresh vanilla, lemon tart, dried mango, ginger and a hint of saffron. Certainly quite sweet, but not unctuous, with the natural, effortless acidity managing to balance the lushness. Intense, yet scented and naturally expressive. Persistent finish. You crave for a second glass if you drink it now, but you can also hold it for a decade in your cellar.
94/100, Lisa Perrotti-Brown: The 2019 Vin De Constance is made from 100% Muscat de Frontignan. Pale gold color, it is SO fragrant, with floral notes of roses and lavender over a core of lychees, mango, and guava notes plus suggestions of musk melon and spice cake. SO pure, on the palate, it is superbly rich and sweet with a fantastic backbone of acidity, oily, long, pure and intense. This is like liquid Turkish delight!
19+/20, Matthew Jukes: This is, as always, a vital wine to buy for your cellar because it is insanely precocious while retaining mind-blowing levels of acidity to protect it for decades to come. Flavour-wise, we are on a well-trodden path of glorious wild honey, peach kernel, jasmine, fresh-picked lemons and gleaming white almonds. This is yet another phenomenal sweet wine from one of only a handful of estates on earth that can make wine with their eyes shut and still turn out a riveting beauty. Glorious in every way AND drinking now, track some down next month, drink one bottle, put the rest away, and throw away the key! Drink 2022 – 2050
Dating back to 1685 and described as one of the world’s most beautiful wine estates, Klein Constantia is set amidst ancient trees on the upper foothills of the Constantiaberg, with views across False Bay. The 146-hectare estate originally formed part of Constantia, the vast property established by the first governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, who chose the valley not only for its beauty, but also for its decomposed granite soils on slopes gently cooled by ocean breezes. The perfect location for cool climate wines, Klein Constantia produces some of South Africa’s top wines, including one of the world’s best natural sweet wines, Vin de Constance.
This wine has always been popular among the greatest writers and politicians: Napoléon 1st had some bottles delivered weekly at Saint-Hélène during his exile, Charles Baudelaire mentionned it in its famous Les Fleurs du Mal, it was appreciated by Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, the King of England George IV and the Queen Elizabeth II, but also Goerges Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, Nelson Mandela and so on.
Vin de Constance elixir is placed in its iconic bottle with its unique and particular form redesigned by an Italian designer to look alike the original bottle while adding it a touch of modernity. Since then, the design has been registered and globally protected, which emphasizes the uniqueness of Vin de Constance.
2019 vintage: Spring was cold, wet and windier than usual which impacted flowering and resulted in small berries, which subsequently reduced our crop. Ripening was slower than normal and stretched the harvest period to much later in the season. There was a level of unpredictability due to the late harvest and autumn weather conditions. We had to be disciplined with our assessment of perfect ripeness to ensure we brought the grapes in at optimal times.
Tasting notes: “Bright light gold in colour. A delicately perfumed yet elevated nose with flavours of white peach, citrus blossom and orange zest. There is an intriguing creaminess on the nose followed by nutmeg and lemon curd. The palate abounds with complex flavours of oak spice, ginger and bright fruit. A delicate balance between sugar and acidity creating a seemingly dryer style of Vin de Constance. The wine concludes with a long and evolving finish with texture and a delicate spice.” Matt Day, Winemaker
Have a glimpse of Klein constantia: https://youtu.be/O8Yei3oTdTo
100% - Muscat de Frontignan
