That was more of a marketing ploy than a change of winemaking style (although Yquem 2019 has a historically high 45% of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend), but the principle – that these are wines that can be enjoyed for their vibrancy when young – is the same. The early 2010s were all about the vineyard and a greater focus on sustainability, including organic farming practices, and the planting of more Muscat de Frontignan bush vines. In Charles Baudelaire's Les fleurs du mal poem XXVI entitled Sed non satiata Baudelaire compares the charms of his beloved to the pleasures brought by Nuits-Saint-Georges and Constantia wine: "Even more than Constantia, than opium, than Nuits, I prefer the elixir of your mouth, where love performs its slow dance." [8] a b Klein Constantia. "History". Klein Constantia. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012 . Retrieved 4 April 2012.

The first sip was elegant and rich, but it was still fresh, with fruity notes that woke up the senses. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity that makes it a unique experience. Acidity is vital to today’s Vin de Constance thanks to a philosophical shift that embraces delicacy and fragrance as much as lusciousness and ageability. In June 2012, Klein Constantia merged with Stellenbosch-based vineyard, Anwilka (formerly co-owned by Lowell Jooste, Hubert de Boüard and Bruno Prats) and Klein Constantia welcomed two new shareholders in de Boüard, of Château Angélus and Prats, formerly of Château Cos d'Estournel. [14] Wine production [ edit ] Klein Constantia: Press Room". Archived from the original on 11 April 2013 . Retrieved 8 March 2013.Since 2012, they have been gradually evolving the style, striving for balance and freshness, with increased precision. For Day, the aim is to make “a sweet wine that doesn’t taste sweet”. However, with no grapevine insight, no trained sommelier and truly low-grade service, this was surely going to leave a bad taste in my mouth. At that moment I knew that I couldn’t just write about my experience, I had to experience the wine fully, so am currently planning my second visit to Cape Town in March 2023 to meet the winemaker Matthew Day and his familywho continue to care for the Klein Constantia brand. Klein Constantia’s Vin de Constance produced from Muscat de Frontignan grapes on the Cape Peninsula. Photo: Klein Constantia The current portfolio of Klein Constantia wine includes the super-premium Estate range and the lifestyle KC range as well as special release wines like the single vineyard Perdeblokke Sauvignon blanc and a Méthode Cap Classique. Anwilka produces a flagship eponymous red wine and a second label 'little brother' red wine called, Petit Frère. Klein Constantia's icon wine remains, Vin de Constance. [17] Cape Muslim heritage [ edit ] Sheik Abdurachman Matebe Shah's kramat in Klein Constantia. When you’re responsible for the 21st-century incarnation of one of the world’s most famous wines, the obvious temptation must be to leave well alone; to pay more attention to history than modernity, and to place a higher value on tradition than innovation.

In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's character Mrs Jennings recommends a little Constantia for "its healing powers on a disappointed heart". [4]Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is one of the best Vin Doux Naturels in France. This is produced by adding grape spirit to the partly fermented must - the best producers, such as Domaine de Durban, produce deliciously sweet wines with rich grapey aromas balanced by fruity acidity. There are echoes here of Moët Hennessy’s new approach with Château d’Yquem. Coinciding with the release of the famed Sauternes property’s 2019 vintage in early 2022, the company outlined an international by-the-glass programme designed to persuade people to enjoy Yquem young, rather than cellaring it for decades. The estate is owned by a number of businesspeople, including Zdeněk Bakala and Charles Harman, who acquired it in 2011. The following year, Klein Constantia merged with Stellenbosch’s Anwilka Estate. The latter’s Bordelais owners Hubert de Boüard (of Château Angélus) and Bruno Prats (formerly of Cos d’Estournel ) became shareholders as a result. This whimsical wine of yore might feel like a counter to the nation’s new wave, but it’s not so, says Day. “For me, Klein Constantia has always been on the forefront of the movement, but in a completely different way. We might not be as trendy as some of the newer producers, but we like to think the work that we have done with Vin de Constance over the past decade has shown the world that South Africa has the potential to compete with best of the best in the world.” If both Anwilka and Vin de Constance remain works in progress, Day seems pretty content with what has been achieved so far with the latter, while remaining mindful that there’s still more to be done.

The Pittsburgh fortune was not confined to fine motor cars and caviar. Abraham and Clara set about the transformation of Klein Constantia with style and determination. Fine furniture and paintings were brought for the house, they added a dining hall, with a minstrel's gallery, a private chapel, and then a classical pavilion which stood beside a large swimming pool set in landscaped gardens. In Joris-Karl Huysmans' novel, A rebours, the protagonist, Floressas Des Esseintes, extols the virtues of Constantia wine and takes some in an attempt to alleviate a weak stomach (Chapter 13).The wines of Klein Constantia and Anwilka, including Vin de Constance, are represented in the UK by Mentzendorff. The modern era for Klein Constantia can arguable be said to start when Duggie Jooste bought the estate in 1979 and decided to revive the farm to its former winemaking glory with the help of Professor Chris Orferr of Stellenbosch University. In 1985 Klein Constantia released the first new vintages for commercial sale in over a century. Most recently the Jooste family sold the estate to Zdenek Bakala and Charles Harman in 2011. In 2012 the estate merged with Anwilka and gained two new shareholders in the form of wine world heavy weights Bruno Prats and Hubert de Boüard.

alcohol. This is just remarkable. Quite pale in colour, it has a pure, enticing nose of sweet citrus, table grape, a hint of marmalade and some peach and apricot tropicality. In the mouth, this is complex and intense – almost viscous – with fresh citrus and table grape fruit, showing a bit of spice and marmalade, some peach skin and honey. The finish is endless: the purity of this wine is astonishing, but it’s not at all cloying, with some spicy phenolics adding the required detail, and a bit of alcoholic warmth. One of the world’s great sweet wines: you can cellar this with confidence. 96/100 All three Constantia estates produce a homage to the original recipe, with Groot Constantia being called Grand Constance, "1769" at Buitenverwachting and "Vin de Constance" at Klein Constantia. Klein Constantia: Press Room" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2013 . Retrieved 8 March 2013. The construction of the new winery also led to changes in the maturation policy, and the introduction of 4,500-litre foudres into the mix. While Vin de Constance 2016 was entirely matured in these (when they were brand-new), from 2019 the wine spends 18 months in 500-litre barrels, 60% of them new; then another 18 months in the foudres. The aim is a lighter touch to allow the fruit to shine through.

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For Day, it’s about fine-tuning the balance between primary, secondary and tertiary flavours – taste 2014 today and the emphasis is on the tertiary, while 2020 “has just left the primary stage”.