The best wines from Constantia in South Africa

Constantia is a small but important 'Ward' in the South African Coastal Region. This wine region is located south-east of Cape Town. Surrounded by the Constantiaberg, the rolling hills of Table Mountain in the west and ocean influences from the south-west, Constantia has a rather specific climate. In the 18th century, the dessert wines of Constantia were praised. They were said to be the best in the world. The Vin de Constance, sweet muscat wine, is still famous. But the dry wines of Sauvignon Blanc really put Constantia on the map today.

Constantia is a small but important 'Ward' in the South African Coastal Region. This wine region is located south-east of Cape Town. Surrounded by the Constantiaberg, the rolling hills of Table Mountain in the west and ocean influences from the southwest, Constantia has a fairly specific climate. In the 18th century, the dessert wines of Constantia were praised. They were said to be the best in the world. The Vin de Constance, sweet Muscat wine, is still famous. But the dry wines of Sauvignon Blanc really put Constantia on the map today.

In 1684, the VOC rewarded Simon van der Stel, commander of the Cape, for his services with 763 hectares of land behind Table Mountain, the Steenberg. From the moment he set foot there in 1679, Simon has taken agriculture and especially viticulture to a higher level. He experimented with making wine and shared his knowledge with other wine farmers. It was therefore to be expected that he would plant his acquired piece of land with vines, with no less than 10,000.

Van der Stel planted grapes such as Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat of Alexandria, Groendruif (Sémillon), Steen (Chenin Blanc), Vaalblaar (Palomino Fino) and Pontac (a French grape with red flesh). And baptized it 'Constantia'. As governor of the Cape in 1691 and as a pensioner he continued his wine activities and the number of vines increased almost tenfold. He developed Constantia into an attractive wine estate where he received foreign guests and treated them to his wine.

The climate between the mountains is relatively warm and the rainfall is more than sufficient. Fortunately, the ocean from the southwest provides cooling and dry air, this influence is also called the 'Cape Doctor'. The centuries-old soils consist of weathered granite and sandstone. Favourable for viticulture. No less than 1/3 of the wine area consists of Sauvignon Blanc. Thanks to the cooling ocean air, the grapes retain their pure green and grassy aromas that are so typical of this grape. The other grape varieties are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sémillon, Chardonnay and the Muscat grapes. And we do not rule out that here and there some Shiraz and Nebbiolo have also been planted.