An unexpected tasting at Groot Constantia and I finally did the winery tour.

It’s not one of my regular wine tasting haunts, though I love going for walks on the property. So it was fun playing tourist in my own hood! 

A pretty salmon pink colour cascades into a nose of red fruits (strawberry, raspberry, cranberry) and florals (jasmine blossoms). A fine mousse of citrus, red fruits and melon on the palate. Fresh acidity and a surprisingly dry finish considering the healthy 8.5g/l residual sugar.

Viti + Vini:

Amusingly it’s another majority Pinotage (63%), Pinot Noir (20%) and Chardonnay (17%). Picked slightly earlier by hand (no machinery, they operate organically but aren’t certified). 2nd fermentation in bottle, 18 months  on the lees and hand riddled. 

Fun fact:

So you already know that Groot Constantia is the oldest wine farm in SA and the Southern Hemisphere. I just learned that Simon van der Stel was a qualifier winemaker before he started his adventures in the Cape. The farm is no longer privately owned, but now government owned and run by the Groot Constantia Trust, a Non Profit Company. 

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