Cape Valley

This Sauvignon Blanc is elegant and refined, with subtle flavours of blackberry leaf and passion fruit complementing a mineral core. Old World in style, it has rested on its fine lees for seven months, which has given the palate additional weight and texture. The wine is expressive with a tension that adds complexity. The property is one of the oldest surviving Sandveld farms, where leopards abound, and which is ideal for growing aromatic whites due to the higher altitude. Although not certified organic, the farm adopts an organic approach to be able to produce high-quality wines that express terroir.
Daisy Gatt, Buying Assistant

This wine expresses the coolness of the 2018 vintage in Constantia: it’s perfumed and elegant, with notes of lime zest, subtle gooseberry and melon. On the palate, razor-sharp acidity is gently tempered by the presence of a touch of Sémillon (2%). Subtle flecks of fennel and nettle complete the picture. This would be the perfect accompaniment to Vietnamese food, sashimi or goats’ cheese dishes. Ready to drink now.
Daisy Gatt, Buying Assistant (spring 2019)

Tierhoek is one of the oldest Sandveld farms in the Piekenierskloof, where leopards abound. This rugged, mountainous ward is situated on the border with the Cederberg Mountains and the Swartland. Since its inception, Tierhoek has adopted organic and sustainable practices to produce high-quality wines that express this exceptional terroir.

This Chenin Blanc has a glorious depth of flavour and rich mouth-feel, with aromas of orchard fruit, greengage and honeysuckle on the nose. Stony, savoury notes underpin the honeyed fruit on the palate, while fresh acidity brings added vibrancy. Drink now to 2022.

Aromas of apricot, green herbs and cut grass entice on the nose. On the palate, more tropical notes of passionfruit and papaya layer with ripe peach and nettle. The Sémillon brings depth and rich texture to the blend, complementing the racy acidity and fresh aromatics of the Sauvignon Blanc. This would pair beautifully with fragrant dishes and seafood. Drink now to 2027. 
Daisy Gatt, Buying Assistant (autumn 2018)

The 2014 Constantia Glen Five, named after the five Bordeaux varieties but mostly Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, was matured for 18 months in 225-liter French oak barrels, of which 75% were new oak and the remainder second-fill. Although the new oak is quite high, the light toasting means that it is nicely integrated with the pure blackberry and bilberry fruit; later, a touch of mint develops. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, well-judged acidity, gentle grip and pure blackberry and boysenberry fruit toward the long finish. This is how to make a Bordeaux blend. A great success.
Neal Martin, Antonio Galloni (summer 2018)

My first impression of Matthew Day’s maiden Vin de Constance is very simply “wow, what a wine!” He seems to have created even more depth, even more layers of complexity and its more vinous, more winey…there’s just more! The nose has taut, yellow apple fruit in spades with a little peach and soft plum characters too.

There is an exciting touch of German Riesling Auslese too – all those petrol, acacia, honey notes and citric lift. The palate is hugely complex as you might imagine, the Auslese character is present too. Although the acidity is greater than in previous years, it is entirely dovetailed into the structure of the wine. The length is simply huge, lasting for minutes but leaves me just wanting another glass. Drink now to 2030+.
Gary Owen, Private Account Manager

Matt has been working at Klein Constantia since 2009 as assistant to the highly respected Adam Mason, but has brought his own ideas and philosophy to the wine. Matt has used the vintage conditions of 2012 and his own methodology to preserve the aromatics and improve the freshness of the wine – highly important in a wine as sweet as Vin de Constance.

Importantly Matt has been harvesting in batches, almost like Sauternes trie harvesting, only picking the grapes when they are at their peak ripeness. In 2012 that meant a colossal three month harvest! At the end of harvest he also used a proportion of Essencia juice, the free run juice from the sweetest berries – this culminates in a more intense, more balanced and more drinkable Vin de Constance!

Since being re-introduced in 1986, Vin de Constance has consistently appeared in lists of the world’s top wines. The 2007 vintage was awarded 97 points by Neal Martin of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, making it the best rated South African sweet wine in history. The outstanding 2009 was in the Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines of 2015.

The 2008 Vin de Constance is a worthy successor to the extraordinarily rich 2007. The wine is a result of meticulous care in the vineyard, with pickers passing through more than a dozen times to collect fruit at differing levels of ripeness and raisinification to build the layers of this complex wine. The deep gold colour hints at the richness within, the lifted, intense nose of ripe apricots and tropical fruits beguiles, whilst the weighty palate carries through the ripe fruit notes of the nose, mingled with sweet clove spice and an unexpected savoury twist on the lingering finish that makes one want to take another sip. Powerful, yet not cloying, rich but elegant, this is one of the world’s truly great sweet wines.
Martin Hudson MW - Wine Buyer

2014 is being described by Matthew Day as the vintage of the decade and it is easy to see why. Vivid gold in colour, the nose is open and expressive even at this early stage. Candid orange peel, backed peaches and apricots with a hint of honey dominate the nose, but there is nuance and spice here in the guise of fresh ginger, nutmeg and kerosene. The palate is rich, opulent and fruit forward, coating one’s mouth with sweet marmalade and apricot frangipane, but there is freshness on the midpalate with hints of tangerine and honeysuckle. Well balanced with plenty of concentration on the long, sticky finish. Exceedingly pleasurable and drinkable from the get go.
Simon Herriot, Private Account Manager

In preparation for this offer, we held a huge tasting with the Fine Wine team to pinpoint the wines that we felt were worthy of praise. Of all the wines tasted, the 2012 Savage Red was consistently described as being the favourite. This is only Duncan Savage’s second vintage and it is absolutely superb. Made from 62% Syrah, 14% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre, 12% Cinsault, it is very Old World and pure in style with a nose of intense red fruit and a fresh, herbaceous edge that lifts the wine on the palate.

It has beautiful precision and focus. Very poised and balanced, there is a seam of minerality behind that finishes on the lovely gravelly length. In my notes, I wrote, “delicate but concentrated”, an oxymoron perhaps but it is true. Despite the fact that Duncan tries to do as little as possible to the wine, this is winemaking at its best. Volumes are, sadly, miniscule. Drink 2015 - 2025.
Catriona Felstead MW, Wine Buyer

It certainly lives up to the billing: exhilaratingly, almost sherbet-scented with fresh nectarine-stone, orange & pink grapefruit notes; the palate's very clean, crisp & vibrant with shreds of tangy seville orange peel marmalade resonating on the finish; this Muscat de Frontignan/Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains wine is balanced by 140 grams of residual sugar. Still a legend in its own right & worth the detour.
 

The nose is enticing with orange, marmalade and apricot aromas, freshly harvested honey. If this isn’t enough of an assault on the olfactory senses, then the palate is in for just as big a treat. The mouth feel has a lovely viscosity that layers the mid palate with tropical fruit, dried pineapple, spiced honey and yet the finely balanced acidity lifts this to a finely honed length and finish. Always a great sweet wine for the hedonists this is another great offering that is very drinkable in its youth or over the next 10 + years.
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager

The Klein Constantia Vin De Constance is a legendary natural sweet wine, widely regarded as one of the world’s finest. During the 18th and 19th centuries Vin de Constance was the most famous wine from the Southern Hemisphere. This seductive and iconic sweet offering, made only 20km from Cape Town, seduced the Kings and Queens of Europe, featured in the novels of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen and continues to impress its loyal followers. In 1980 Klein Constantia was bought by Duggie Jooste who redeveloped the Estate.

Early records were studied and careful selection was made from vines which, in all likelihood, came from the original stock used in Constantia 300 years ago. In 1986 the first vintage of the renaissance was reintroduced to the public and packaged in a similar style 500ml bottle to its forebears. Made from Muscat de Frontignan, the 2009 was aged in a combination of French oak, French Acacia oak and Hungarian oak barrels for 4 years, of which 60% were new barrels. The harvest began in late January and was completed only in late April.

The extended picking period allowed the estate to harvest up to 25 different batches that make up the many components in the final blend. Each bunch is hand selected and only the ripest and best bunches are chosen. There is no racking or movement of the wine during the 4 years of ageing until the final

The ‘Five’ is a reference to the blend of grape varietals that make up this wine, namely Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot. 2010 was as near to perfect as it’s possible to be for cultivating grapes in this part of the world, with the harvest taking place even later than in the peerless 2009 vintage. The subsequent wine has a nose rich in blackcurrant fruit, black cherry, spice box and tobacco.

The palate is both rich and concentrated; with the dark fruit notes complimented by silky tannins and balanced acidity which lends freshness. The finish is lengthy and smooth with a mineral edge. This could benefit from a year or two in the cellar; however it’s already showing beautifully.

The 2011 Five blends together the five Bordeaux varieties (Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon) with great aplomb, creating a wine of sufficient richness and power to bring enormous pleasure to the senses, but, at the same time, an uncommon level of refinement and elegance at this price bracket. This is perfectly ready to drink now but will be impressive through to 2018.

Even better than the 2014 release - and that was a spectacular sweet wine - the 2015 Vin de Constance is one of the greatest ever vintages of this iconic sticky. More Barsac than Sauternes in terms of weight, it’s fresh and refined, a bit like the 2012, with citrus and orange zest balancing the 172 grams of sugar. The oak is perfectly judged, the length and freshness things of wonder.
Tim Atkin - Decanter.com

Grown on north-east facing slopes between the Constantiaberg and Table Mountain ranges, the vines here benefit from slow ripening in the afternoon sun, resulting in a rich yet classically proportioned blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The result is a wine that nods clearly to the region that has influenced it, while expressing a clear sense of place.
Katherine Dart MW, Wine Buyer (Spring 2019)

The 2013 Cartology Bush Vines is a blend of 88% Chenin Blanc and 12% Semillon. The bouquet is very well-defined with great clarity, very reminiscent of the 2011, opening up with aeration to reveal subtle scents of lemon curd, apricot, honeysuckle and Mirabelle. The palate is well-balanced, harmonious in the mouth, everything understated at first, but it builds nicely toward a taut, saline finish. This seems more aligned to the 2012 than the 2011 and it deserves at least one or two years in bottle. Succinct is the word that comes to mind - and that is not an easy attribute to instill into a wine.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Oct 2014

Widely regarded as one of the world’s finest sweet wines, this famously seductive and iconic Vin de Constance is a gloriously sweet offering from the Klein Constantia winery in South Africa located 20km from Cape Town.
The 2007 vintage was one of the best of the decade, with a long, cool season ensuring concentrated flavours and aromatic intensity. A warm, dry late summer created perfect conditions for the raisining of the Muscat de Frontignan grapes whilst still on the vine.

This is arguably the least obvious Sauvignon Blanc (56%) and Semillon (44%) blend that I have ever tasted – but it is incredible. Duncan Savage has managed to bring a restraint and minerality to this wine which takes the place of any obvious Sauvignon Blanc aromatics. The Semillon component comes through on the pretty, peachy palate and the broader texture on the palate. It is subtle and delicate but with a long finish, indicating its potential to age. Duncan uses fruit from 50-year-old vines along with whole bunch fermentation and minimal intervention winemaking to craft this. It will be fascinating to see how it develops over time.
Catriona Felstead MW, Wine Buyer