Constantia Uitsig

Constantia Uitsig traces its history to the original Constantia grant of 11 July 1685, when Simon van der Stel, Governor of the Cape, was granted a 763-hectare estate by the Dutch East India Company on the eastern slopes of the Constantiaberg. Over the following two centuries the original grant was sub-divided multiple times, with portions becoming Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Steenberg and a series of smaller farms. The land that would become Constantia Uitsig was one of these sub-divisions, passing through several ownership changes during the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1894 Willem Lategan married Antoinette Bredell of Schoemanshoek and with her inheritance built the present Cape Dutch homestead, naming the farm Constantia View. The Afrikaans name Constantia Uitsig (meaning 'Constantia View') was formally adopted in 1941, reflecting the property's commanding outlook over the Constantia Valley toward False Bay. Through most of the 20th century the farm operated as a working agricultural property without significant viticultural ambitions, with vineyards in declining condition by the late 1980s.

• Sub-divided from Simon van der Stel's 1685 original 763-hectare Constantia grant during the 18th and 19th centuries
• Willem Lategan married Antoinette Bredell of Schoemanshoek in 1894 and built the current Cape Dutch homestead with her inheritance
• Named Constantia View in 1894; the Afrikaans equivalent Constantia Uitsig formally adopted in 1941
• Operated as a working agricultural property through the 20th century without significant viticultural ambitions

In 1988 David and Marlene McCay purchased the dilapidated Constantia Uitsig farm and committed to a comprehensive restoration. Both the Cape Dutch homestead and the run-down vineyards required significant investment. Replanting of the vineyards began in 1990, with new blocks of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay and Bordeaux red varieties planted on land that had previously been under tired old vines or pasture. The McCays' vision extended beyond winemaking to a complete farm-to-table hospitality concept: they restored the historic farm cottages as a country hotel, opened restaurants on the property, and positioned Constantia Uitsig as a destination estate rather than a pure wine producer. The first restaurant, called simply Constantia Uitsig Restaurant, opened in 1992. The Spaanschemat River Cafe followed. The most celebrated of the three restaurants, La Colombe, opened in 1996 and would go on to become one of the most decorated restaurants in South Africa under chef Franck Dangereux and later chef Scot Kirton. The McCay family operated the integrated wine-and-hospitality model for 25 years, building Constantia Uitsig into a Cape Town landmark.

• David and Marlene McCay purchased the dilapidated farm in 1988 with a comprehensive restoration plan for both homestead and vineyards
• Replanting of vineyards began 1990 with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay and Bordeaux red varieties on previously tired old-vine or pasture land
• Vision extended beyond winemaking to farm-to-table hospitality: country hotel, three restaurants, integrated destination estate
• La Colombe restaurant opened on the farm in 1996; became one of the most decorated restaurants in South Africa under chefs Franck Dangereux and Scot Kirton

Constantia Uitsig's restaurant operation defined the estate's public profile through the 1990s and 2000s. La Colombe, opened in 1996, was the flagship. The restaurant served a French-inspired menu with Asian influences in a small dining room that originally served as the pool room. It quickly built a reputation as one of the finest restaurants in South Africa, regularly winning Eat Out Restaurant of the Year and high rankings in the World's 50 Best Restaurants programme during chef Scot Kirton's tenure. The Spaanschemat River Cafe offered a more casual all-day dining experience with country garden views, and the Constantia Uitsig Restaurant provided a third option for resident hotel guests and visiting wine tourists. The combination of three serious restaurants on a single working wine farm was unique in South Africa and arguably anywhere in the world, and it cemented Constantia Uitsig's status as a destination property. The restaurant business drove a significant share of estate revenue and direct wine sales, with guests typically purchasing bottles of estate wine for their tables and again from the cellar door on departure.

• La Colombe opened on the farm in 1996; French-inspired menu with Asian influences in a small dining room originally serving as the pool room
• Won Eat Out Restaurant of the Year multiple times and high rankings in the World's 50 Best Restaurants programme under chef Scot Kirton
• Spaanschemat River Cafe and Constantia Uitsig Restaurant completed the three-restaurant cluster on a single working wine farm
• Restaurant business drove a significant share of estate revenue and direct wine sales; cellar door benefited from steady visitor traffic

After 25 years of ownership the McCay family decided to sell Constantia Uitsig, with chairman Lawrie McIntosh citing David McCay's wish for a more restful life following his kidney transplant. The estate was placed on the market and in 2013 was sold privately to Pieter Erasmus, managing director of the Pepkor investment group, for a reported R135 million (approximately 8 to 10 million euros at prevailing exchange rates). The sale included the wine farm, the homestead, the country hotel cottages and the three restaurant properties. Erasmus, a businessman without prior experience operating restaurants, decided early in his ownership that he would focus on the wine and hospitality side and not personally operate the restaurants. La Colombe's head chef Scot Kirton was offered the opportunity to keep the restaurant alive elsewhere if he found a new site, and in 2014 he relocated La Colombe to the Silvermist Mountain Lodge above the Constantia Valley, where it has continued to operate and remains one of South Africa's top-ranked restaurants. The original La Colombe site at Constantia Uitsig is now occupied by the Open Door restaurant. The estate remains in active wine production under Erasmus's ownership and has continued to operate the hotel and a less restaurant-heavy hospitality offering.

• McCay family sold Constantia Uitsig in 2013 following David McCay's kidney transplant and desire for a more restful life
• Sold privately to Pieter Erasmus, managing director of Pepkor investment group, for a reported R135 million (8-10 million euros)
• La Colombe relocated to Silvermist Mountain Lodge in 2014 under chef Scot Kirton; the Open Door restaurant occupies the original site
• Estate continues active wine production under Erasmus ownership with continued hotel operation and reduced restaurant footprint

Estian de Wet has led winemaking at Constantia Uitsig since 2020, succeeding the previous estate winemaking team. He serves as both winemaker and cellar master, with responsibility extending to vineyard management and overall production. The wine programme under his direction emphasises minimal intervention and natural fermentation, with white wines undergoing fermentation in a mix of French oak barriques, stainless steel tanks and Nico Velo concrete tanks for textural complexity. Production focus is 70% white varietals, reflecting the cool maritime climate of the Constantia ward and the historical strength of the property in Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay. Red wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz, with some experimentation in less common varieties. The vineyard work involves systematic removal of alien vegetation and diseased vines, with replanting using healthy material suited to the terroir and the long-term goals of the new ownership. The vineyards continue to be farmed using sustainable practices with reduced chemical intervention, reflecting both the estate's location adjacent to the Cape's most pristine natural areas and the broader trend in Constantia toward environmental stewardship.

• Estian de Wet has led winemaking at Constantia Uitsig since 2020 as both winemaker and cellar master, with vineyard responsibility
• Minimal intervention and natural fermentation; whites fermented in French oak, stainless steel and Nico Velo concrete for textural complexity
• Production is 70% white varietals reflecting the cool maritime Constantia climate; Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Chardonnay focus
• Vineyard work involves systematic removal of alien vegetation and diseased vines with sustainable replanting

Constantia Uitsig is approximately 60 hectares in total area with 33 hectares planted under vine. The vineyards sit on the south-eastern slopes of the Constantiaberg in the Constantia ward, with gentler gradients than the steepest mountainside neighbours like Eagles' Nest and Beau Constantia but the same fundamentally cool maritime climate. The Constantia ward is one of the coolest wine wards in South Africa, with strong influence from the False Bay cold-water body to the south-east and the Cape Doctor south-easterly wind that blows reliably during summer. The Cape Doctor sweeps in directly from False Bay, moderating daytime temperatures by several degrees and preserving natural acidity, particularly in the Sauvignon Blanc that has become the ward's signature. Soils are predominantly decomposed Cape Granite Suite with seams of weathered sandstone and shale, providing good drainage. The property is approximately 15 minutes' drive from central Cape Town, making it one of the closest cool-climate wine sites to a major city anywhere in the world. The principal varieties planted are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with a small block of Hanepoot (Muscat of Alexandria) table grapes preserved as a historical curiosity.

• Approximately 60 hectares total with 33 hectares under vine on south-eastern slopes of the Constantiaberg
• Cool maritime climate with strong False Bay influence; Cape Doctor south-easterly preserves natural acidity, particularly in Sauvignon Blanc
• Decomposed Cape Granite Suite soils with seams of weathered sandstone and shale; good drainage on the gentle slopes
• Principal varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot; small block of Hanepoot table grapes preserved

The Constantia Uitsig range includes both classical Cape style and more contemporary natural-leaning wines. The estate Sauvignon Blanc is the workhorse expression, capturing the cool ward profile with crisp acidity, green herbal lift and tropical fruit. The Semillon is a more textured, oak-influenced style that benefits from medium-term cellaring and showcases the variety's lanolin and beeswax character. Chardonnay is fermented and aged in a mix of French oak and stainless steel, with the more recent vintages showing tighter, more elegant profile under Estian de Wet. The Natura Vista range, introduced in recent years, represents a more natural winemaking approach: minimal intervention, natural yeast fermentation, no added enzymes, and use of concrete tanks alongside oak. The Natura Vista wines include a wooded Sauvignon Blanc, a white blend and a red blend that reflect the estate's contemporary direction. The Constantia Uitsig Reserve is a flagship oak-aged white blend (typically Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon), and red wines include a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and occasional varietal Cabernet Franc and Shiraz bottlings. The historic Cricket Pitch white blend, named for the cricket field on the property, was a signature wine through the McCay era and may continue in modified form under current ownership.

• Estate Sauvignon Blanc captures the cool ward profile with crisp acidity, green herbal lift and tropical fruit; estate workhorse
• Natura Vista range introduced in recent years for natural winemaking approach: minimal intervention, natural yeast, concrete tanks
• Semillon is a textured oak-influenced style with medium-term cellaring potential and classic lanolin and beeswax character
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and occasional varietal Cabernet Franc and Shiraz on the red side; historic Cricket Pitch white blend named for the property cricket field