Constantia Glen

The land that is now Constantia Glen was first granted in 1685 as part of Simon van der Stel's original Constantia estate, and a working farm has occupied the upper slopes since the late 17th century under various owners. The Austrian Waibel family bought the property, then known as Glen Alpine farm, in 1960. The Waibels were not vintners but textile manufacturers: they had moved from Austria to the Cape after the Second World War and built a significant business, BMD Knitting Mills, in Cape Town. The family lived on Glen Alpine for decades but did not commercially farm the land for vines, instead using it as a residential country estate. From 1995 the farm was operated as a champion Red Angus cattle stud, breeding award-winning Angus bloodstock for the South African beef industry. Around 1998 Dieter Waibel, the second-generation patriarch, and his son Alexander began planning the eventual return of the farm to its original 17th-century purpose as a wine estate.

• Land first granted in 1685 as part of Simon van der Stel's original Constantia estate; working farm on the upper slopes since the late 17th century
• Austrian Waibel family bought Glen Alpine farm in 1960 after moving to the Cape from Austria post-Second World War
• Built BMD Knitting Mills textile business in Cape Town; the farm functioned as a residential country estate for decades
• From 1995 operated as a champion Red Angus cattle stud farm before the decision to return to vineyards

On 16 January 2000 a devastating wildfire swept across the Cape Peninsula, fanned by a strong south-easterly Cape Doctor wind, and destroyed most of the vegetation on Glen Alpine. The Red Angus cattle had to be evacuated. The fire became the catalyst for a decision the family had already been contemplating: rather than restore the farm as a cattle operation, they would return it to its original 17th-century vocation as a wine estate. Extensive soil tests were commissioned across the property in early 2000, and the first vineyards were planted in September of that year. The bulk of the planting followed in 2001 and brought the property to its current 29 hectares of vineyards on the 60-hectare farm. The decision was deliberately focused on Bordeaux varieties from the start, recognising the unique combination of altitude, decomposed granite soils and cooling maritime breezes that made the upper Constantia slopes well-suited to structured Cabernet-led wines rather than the Sauvignon Blanc that dominates the warmer lower blocks of the ward.

• 16 January 2000 Cape Peninsula wildfire destroyed most of the farm's vegetation and forced cattle evacuation
• Decision made to return Glen Alpine to its original 17th-century purpose as a wine farm under the Constantia Glen name
• First vineyards planted September 2000; bulk of plantings in 2001; today 29 hectares under vine on 60 hectares
• Focused on Bordeaux varieties from the start, taking advantage of altitude, decomposed granite soils and cooling breezes

Constantia Glen sits at 130 to 270 metres above sea level on the upper slopes of the Constantia valley, one of the highest sites in the ward. The 29 hectares of vineyards are planted on south-east-facing decomposed Cape granite soils with seams of weathered Table Mountain sandstone and significant clay content in the lower blocks. The altitude and the cooling Cape Doctor south-easterly wind that blows during summer combine to produce one of the longest, coolest ripening windows in the Cape, with picking dates frequently three to four weeks later than the warmer Stellenbosch benches that grow the same varieties. Plantings are deliberately Bordeaux-focused: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for the whites; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec for the reds. The vineyard team works extensively with cover cropping and minimal chemical intervention. Yields are deliberately low, particularly on the red Bordeaux varieties, and the wines reflect both the high-altitude site and the rigour of the family's hands-on management.

• Vineyard altitudes 130 to 270 metres; one of the highest sites in the Constantia ward
• 29 hectares of vineyards on south-east-facing decomposed Cape granite over weathered Table Mountain sandstone; clay content in lower blocks
• Cooling Cape Doctor wind and high altitude produce one of the longest, coolest ripening windows in the Cape; picking 3-4 weeks later than warmer Stellenbosch sites
• Bordeaux-focused plantings: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec; deliberately low yields

Constantia Glen's portfolio is organised around a numbered range that maps to the number of varieties in each wine, an elegantly simple system. Two is the estate's Sauvignon Blanc, a pure single-varietal expression of the cool, high-altitude Constantia signature with bright tropical fruit, citrus and granite-driven minerality. Three is a Bordeaux Blanc-style blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon (the name reflects the historic three-variety Bordeaux Blanc tradition). Five is the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux red blend using all five classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a more recent addition, released as a pure single-varietal expression from the estate's best Cabernet blocks. Production is capped at approximately 120,000 bottles per year across the entire portfolio, making Constantia Glen one of the smaller-volume premium producers in the ward.

• Two: pure Sauvignon Blanc; bright tropical fruit, citrus and granite-driven minerality from the high-altitude blocks
• Three: Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon Bordeaux Blanc-style blend; more textured and serious than pure Sauvignon Blanc
• Five: flagship Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux red blend using all five classic Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec)
• Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: pure single-varietal expression; total production capped at ~120,000 bottles annually

Justin van Wyk has been the winemaker at Constantia Glen since 2011 and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished winemakers in the Constantia ward. He graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a BSc (Agric) in Viticulture and Oenology in 2007 and was named Diners Club Winemaker of the Year for 2021, one of the most prestigious awards in South African wine. Van Wyk also works as consulting winemaker at the nearby Beau Constantia estate, where he produces the Lucca Merlot-Cabernet Franc and the Aidan Malbec-Merlot-Petit Verdot-Cabernet Sauvignon blends. He launched his own Van Wyk Family Wines range in the late 2010s, made at the Constantia Glen cellar from selected vineyards across the broader Western Cape. The Waibel family leadership is provided by patriarch Dieter Waibel, his son Alexander Waibel (who is the estate's commercial face and managing director) and son-in-law Gus Allen.

• Justin van Wyk has been winemaker since 2011; named Diners Club Winemaker of the Year for 2021
• University of Stellenbosch BSc Viticulture and Oenology graduate, 2007
• Also consulting winemaker at nearby Beau Constantia (Lucca and Aidan red blends); launched Van Wyk Family Wines range
• Waibel family leadership: Dieter Waibel (patriarch), Alexander Waibel (managing director) and son-in-law Gus Allen

Constantia Glen has built a reputation as one of the most consistent premium estates in the Constantia ward within a single generation of vineyards, a remarkable trajectory given that the first vines went into the ground only in late 2000. The Five Bordeaux blend has been a regular high-scoring entry in Tim Atkin MW's annual South Africa Report and in the Platter's South African Wine Guide, with several vintages awarded 95 points or above. The Three Bordeaux Blanc has also drawn international attention, including the title of White Wine of the Year 2023 in some European markets. The estate's tasting venue, set against panoramic views back across the Constantia valley towards False Bay, is one of the most spectacular wine destinations in the Cape and has helped Constantia Glen build a strong direct-to-consumer business alongside its global distribution. The combination of altitude, view, Bordeaux focus and the calibre of Justin van Wyk's winemaking has positioned Constantia Glen as the modern Bordeaux specialist of the ward.

• Five Bordeaux blend regularly scores 95 points or above in Tim Atkin MW's annual South Africa Report and Platter's
• Three Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon won White Wine of the Year 2023 honours in select European markets
• Tasting venue commands panoramic views across the Constantia valley towards False Bay; one of the most spectacular wine destinations in the Cape
• Built a strong direct-to-consumer business in parallel with global distribution; modern Bordeaux specialist of the Constantia ward