Given how particular Klein Constantia are each year about whether or not to produce a vintage, 2014 has been hailed as one of the best of the decade. Conditions leading up to it were near perfect & many similarities have been drawn to the hugely favourable 2007 vintage. Bright & yellow gold in colour. The nose displays aromas of citrus, ginger & fresh nutmeg. Elegant, well rounded in acidity with a creamy mouthfeel, the flavours follow through offering a zesty mid palate. Full & refreshing, the wine concludes with a long & concentrated finish. Unlike many of the great sweet wines of the world, Vin de Constance is not made from grapes affected by noble rot, but is made from 100% Muscat de Frontignan which ripens fully & then raisins on the vine to give juice with intense concentration & flavour. Harvest takes months, harvesting more than 15 different batches at different levels of ripeness, & the grapes are meticulously selected by pickers who work throughout the night harvesting at 4am to ensure conditions are perfect & the grapes arrive in at the coolest, natural temperature. This ensured both perfect balance of freshness, sweetness & zesty acidity & also a fabulously layered complexity. The wine was then aged in a combination of French & Hungarian oak for two & a half years. ...

Even better than the 2014 release
- & that was a spectacular sweet wine
- the 2015 Vin de Constance is one of the greatest ever

...

Deeply complex & robust, the nose is layered with Seville orange marmalade, honeysuckle & ginger. Unctuously full bodied with intense flavours ranging from dried mango to fresh vanilla & lively citrus zest. These allow for the perfect balance on the palate, showing restrained concentration with a pithy astringency & a mouth-watering finish. The 2016 vintage was earlier than anticipated due to El Nio causing a warm & dry weather build up to harvest, resulting in faster ripening fruit. Still it yielded berries with concentrated flavours & well balanced acidity. Fortunately, in the Constantia Valley they receive enough rainfall, even during the driest of seasons & are safeguarded with sufficient moisture in the soils, unlike some warmer regions in the country. The vines are also protected from the extreme heat spikes by their proximity to the ocean, experiencing predominantly cool night time temperatures allowing for the perfect & slow raisining conditions for the development of ripeness while retaining a good natural acidity. ...

Deeply complex & robust, the nose is layered with Seville orange marmalade, honeysuckle & ginger. Unctuously full bodied with intense flavours ranging from dried mango to fresh vanilla & lively citrus zest. These allow for the perfect balance on the palate, showing restrained concentration with a pithy astringency & a mouth-watering finish. ...

A concentrated, dry Chenin with a succulent palate of crisp pear & tropical pineapple with more vibrant guava characters. The acidity cuts through all the richness leaving a finish that is clean, long & crisp. ...

A great example of what Pinotage can offer when the fruit is top of the bill & subtle oak lending a h&. Plump plum fruit & a mellow Mediterranean-like spicy feel. ...

A vibrant Sauvignon Blanc with zesty & herbaceous aromas of melon, lime & green pepper. The rich palate has green fig & crisp citrus together with gooseberry & freshly crumbled blackcurrant leaf, while the fresh acidity delivers a long, crisp finish. ...

Cool coastal vineyard sites, averaging no more than 15km from the sea. Harvested in the cool early morning resulting in a deliciously aromatic Sauvignon. A vibrant Sauvignon Blanc with zesty & herbaceous aromas of melon, lime & green pepper. The rich palate has green fig & crisp citrus together with gooseberry & freshly crumbled blackcurrant leaf, while the fresh acidity delivers a long, crisp finish. ...

A full-bodied Sauvignon Blanc, the nose is pure & zesty, while the palate offers creamily ripe rich green fruit & a savoury herbal edge & the acidity keeps it clean, refreshing & long. ...

Very attractive nose with lots of tropical fruits such as pineapple, guava & citrus fruit, carrying on to the crisp, refreshing palate. ...