2017 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance
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Tasting notes
Boasting a juicy and fruity nose, the 2017 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is pale gold in the glass with a delightfully concentrated stone fruit essences that sway with elements of white peach, nectarine, dried apricot, apple and quince purée before notions of jasmine honeysuckle waft from the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine displays a succulent peach nectar flavor as it effortlessly glides across the mid-palate, flaunting with elegance and finesse. The juicy acidity framed with the layers of fruit and floral context leaves me just staring at my glass while the wine continues to evolve and unfold in the mouth. The wine coasts to an elongated finish that will have you picking your glass up again sooner than you know. Bravo!
Critic scores
Tim Jackson MW, jancisrobinson.com
Tom Parker MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Lustrous mid gold. Dried apricot, orange blossom and citrus peels on the nose, suffused with nutmeg, clove and coffee cream, and an earthy, spicy, saffron-like note. Richly sweet and unctuously textured, but with a streak of acidity that balances beautifully, and gives a preserved grapefruit and lemon flavour. Fantastic length. (TJ)
We finished with a welcome dessert wine in the shape of the 2017 Vin de Constance from Klein Constantia, which mirrored my recent tasting note. Just heavenly.
100% Muscat de Frontignan. A late, mild winter with more rainfall than in 2015, though still below average. Budburst was uneven due to cold September weather, but the ensuing warm days and cool nights of the summer were perfect for flowering and fruit set. Cooler temperatures later in the growing season with little rainfall led to excellent flavour development, exceptionally healthy fruit and good retention of acidity. Winemaker Matthew Day considers it to have been a textbook growing season. Pale lemon gold in the glass. Superbly perfumed with musky white flowers, Turkish delight, white sultanas and heather honey. These notes all follow on the complex and inviting palate. Lovely sweetness on the front and middle are gently washed away by fresh acidity. This lifts the finish and leaves a very fresh and clean perception. Pure and delineated throughout, but there is still a honeyed character with good length. The progression to a fresher style continues. (TP)
About the producer
Based in Constantia, a short drive from the suburbs of Cape Town, Klein Constantia produces some of South Africa’s finest wines, including its iconic sweet wine, Vin de Constance.