Wine Composition
100% Muscat de Frontignan
Winemakers Comments
A rich, dark golden honey colour with intense perfumed nose of complex spice, cloves and vanilla. Developed secondary flavours of orange marmalade and dark chocolate. An intriguing and ever-evolving wine. The bold, sweet palate is perfectly balanced by tight acidity which results in a long-lingering honeyed finish.
Awards
Tim Atkin | 98 points
Decanter World Wine Awards | 96 points
Wine Advocate | 95 points
Technical Analysis
Alcohol Percentage
14%
TA
8 g/l
pH
3.6
RS
150 g/l
Cellar Techniques
After hand picking selected shriveled grapes, the berries are left to macerate on their skins for several days to soften, which facilitates the recovery of their golden juice with pressing.
The combination of high residual sugar and alcohol levels has a known preservative effect on bottled wine. Provided the cellaring conditions are ideal (12°C and 75-85% humidity) this wine is capable of ageing for at least 20 years from the date of bottling and in many cases somewhat longer than that.
Only 1506 magnum bottles of Vin de Constance 2008 have been bottled, each bottle hand-numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Presented in a hand-crafted and proudly South African wooden box.
Winemaker
Name - Matthew Day
Winery
Described as one of the world’s most beautiful vineyards, Klein Constantia is set amidst ancient trees and lush greenery on the upper foothills of the Constantiaberg, with superb views across the Constantia Valley and False Bay.
Our 146 hectare wine estate originally formed part of "Constantia", a vast property established in 1685 by Simon van der Stel, the first governor of the Cape. This particular valley was chosen not only for its beauty, but also for the decomposed granite soils on its slopes, gently cooled by ocean breezes.
Prized by leaders and aristocracy throughout 18th Century Europe, Constantia’s Vin de Constance was revived by Klein Constantia in 1986, reaffirming this unique natural sweet wine’s place in history.
Today, Klein Constantia continues to make some of South Africa’s top wines and the world’s best dessert wines; wines that reflect the cool Constantia climate, as well as our historic tradition.