Klein Constantia

Klein Constantia traces its origins to 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. Van der Stel named the property Constantia and made wine that within decades was being shipped to the courts of Europe and consumed by royalty from Frederick the Great of Prussia to King Louis Philippe of France. After Van der Stel's death the original grant was sub-divided. Klein Constantia (literally 'Little Constantia' in Dutch) emerged as the smaller portion, while the manor house and historic cellar passed to what became Groot Constantia. The most celebrated chapter belonged to Hendrik Cloete, who took ownership of Groot Constantia in 1778 and turned the legendary Constantia sweet wine into a global luxury. By the early 19th century, Constantia wine was being ordered by Napoleon, who had it shipped to his exile on Saint Helena. The phylloxera epidemic of the 1880s and 1890s destroyed the Constantia vineyards and the original sweet wine disappeared from cellars and history for nearly a century.

• Simon van der Stel was granted the original Constantia estate on 11 July 1685; the property was named for steadfastness or possibly his wife Constantia
• Klein Constantia means 'Little Constantia' in Dutch and emerged from the sub-division of Van der Stel's original 763-hectare grant
• Hendrik Cloete took control of Groot Constantia in 1778 and built the international reputation of the unfortified Constantia dessert wine
• Napoleon ordered Constantia shipped to Saint Helena; phylloxera destroyed the original vineyards and Vin de Constance disappeared for nearly a century

The modern era of Klein Constantia began in 1980 when Cape Town wine merchant Douglas 'Duggie' Jooste purchased the dilapidated estate and committed to reviving its historic dessert wine. Working with the Nietvoorbij oenological research institute, the South African government's viticultural arm, and consulting closely with Professor Chris Orffer, Jooste identified Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains (also called Muscat de Frontignan) as the historic varietal and planted the first new blocks in 1982. The first modern Vin de Constance was released from the 1986 vintage. The wine was made in an unfortified late-harvest style, with grapes left on the vine until they reached high sugar levels and a portion of natural raisining, but without the use of botrytis or fortification with grape spirit. Lowell Jooste, Duggie's son, took over the estate in 1987 and led it for the next 24 years, expanding the dry wine range and establishing Klein Constantia as a flagship of the modern Cape wine industry.

• Duggie Jooste, a Cape Town wine merchant, bought the dilapidated estate in 1980 and committed to reviving the historic Constantia dessert wine
• Worked with Nietvoorbij and Professor Chris Orffer to identify Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains as the historic varietal; first new blocks planted 1982
• Maiden modern Vin de Constance vintage was 1986; produced unfortified and without botrytis, distinct from Sauternes-style sweet wines
• Lowell Jooste took over from his father Duggie in 1987 and led the estate for 24 years until the family sale in 2011

In May 2011 the Jooste family sold Klein Constantia to Czech mining magnate Zdenek Bakala and South African businessman Charles Harman for a reported 20 million euros. The new owners had a vision to take Klein Constantia from a strong Cape estate to a globally recognised great wine house. In May 2012 they merged Klein Constantia with Anwilka, a Stellenbosch wine estate that Lowell Jooste had purchased in 1997 in partnership with Hubert de Bouard, owner of Chateau Angelus in Saint-Emilion, and Bruno Prats, who had owned and run Chateau Cos d'Estournel in Saint-Estephe for 28 years until selling the estate in 1998. The Anwilka merger brought Prats and De Bouard into the Klein Constantia ownership group as shareholders. Anwilka itself, founded as a wine project in 1997 and releasing its maiden vintage of 2005, became Klein Constantia's Stellenbosch sister estate, producing a Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz blend from 40 hectares of vineyards just 7 kilometres from False Bay. Robert Parker declared the 2005 Anwilka 'the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa' at the 2006 Bordeaux en primeur tastings.

• Sold in May 2011 by the Jooste family to Czech mining magnate Zdenek Bakala and South African businessman Charles Harman; reported price 20 million euros
• Merged in May 2012 with Anwilka, bringing Bruno Prats (Cos d'Estournel for 28 years) and Hubert de Bouard (Chateau Angelus) into the ownership
• Anwilka was founded in 1997 by Lowell Jooste with Prats and De Bouard; maiden 2005 vintage; 40 hectares of vineyards near False Bay in Stellenbosch
• Robert Parker called the 2005 Anwilka 'the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa' at the 2006 Bordeaux en primeur tastings

Klein Constantia farms 146 hectares with approximately 65 hectares planted to vine on south-east facing slopes of the Constantiaberg, the mountain that protects the Constantia ward from the worst of the summer afternoon sun. Vineyard altitudes range from roughly 70 metres at the lower edge of the estate to 350 metres on the upper slopes, providing significant elevation variation across a relatively compact farm. The Constantia ward sits within the Cape Town district and is one of the closest cool-climate wine regions to a major city anywhere in the world, with central Cape Town only 15 kilometres to the north. The cooling Cape Doctor wind, a strong south-easterly that blows reliably during summer, moderates daytime temperatures and helps preserve acidity in the Sauvignon Blanc that has become the ward's signature white. Soils are predominantly decomposed granite over the Cape Granite Suite, with seams of weathered sandstone and shale that drain well and force vines to root deeply. The estate has been farmed sustainably for decades, with a strong focus on Cape fynbos preservation across the unplanted portions of the property.

• 146-hectare farm with approximately 65 hectares under vine on the south-east slopes of the Constantiaberg
• Vineyard altitudes from roughly 70 to 350 metres; one of the closest cool-climate wine regions to a major city anywhere in the world (15 km from central Cape Town)
• Decomposed granite soils over the Cape Granite Suite with seams of weathered sandstone and shale; deep-rooting vines
• Cooling Cape Doctor south-easterly wind preserves natural acidity; Cape fynbos preserved across unplanted portions of the farm

Vin de Constance is the wine on which the modern Klein Constantia legacy is built and one of the most historically significant wines in the world. It is produced exclusively from Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains (called Muscat de Frontignan in South Africa) in an unfortified late-harvest style, with grapes left on the vine until they reach high sugar levels and a portion of natural raisining without botrytis influence. Klein Constantia caps production at approximately 30,000 500ml bottles per vintage, packaged in a heavy-shouldered antique-style bottle modelled on the original 18th-century Cape design. The wine is aged in a combination of French oak barrels and foudres before bottling and rewards extended cellaring. Tim Atkin MW has consistently rated Vin de Constance among the highest-scoring wines in his annual South Africa Report, awarding several vintages 97 to 98 points. The wine appears regularly on the lists of three-starred Michelin restaurants worldwide and is collected at auction in mature vintages back to the early modern revival years.

• Made exclusively from Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains (Muscat de Frontignan); unfortified and without botrytis
• Production capped at approximately 30,000 500ml bottles per vintage; packaged in an antique-style heavy-shouldered bottle modelled on the 18th-century original
• Aged in French oak barrels and foudres before bottling; rewards extended cellaring of 20+ years
• Tim Atkin MW regularly scores Vin de Constance 97 to 98 points; appears on three-starred Michelin lists worldwide

Alongside Vin de Constance, Klein Constantia produces a portfolio of dry wines led by Sauvignon Blanc. The Estate Sauvignon Blanc is the workhorse expression and one of the most consistent Cape Sauvignon Blancs available at scale. Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc is a single-vineyard wine from the highest, oldest Sauvignon Blanc block on the estate, fermented and aged in a mix of large-format oak and concrete for a more textured style. Metis Sauvignon Blanc is the result of a joint venture with Pascal Jolivet, the celebrated Sancerre producer, made in collaboration with Jolivet's winemaker Clement Olivet from selected high-altitude blocks at Klein Constantia. The name Metis means 'wisdom and skill' in Greek and refers to the alliance between the two estates. The wine is made with a minimalist approach using only indigenous yeasts and no enzymes. The Estate Red is a Bordeaux-blend flagship from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Klein Constantia also produces an estate Cap Classique, made in the traditional method from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

• Estate Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most consistent Cape Sauvignon Blancs at scale; Perdeblokke is a single-vineyard textured expression from the highest oldest block
• Metis Sauvignon Blanc is a joint venture with Sancerre producer Pascal Jolivet; made with Jolivet's winemaker Clement Olivet using indigenous yeasts only
• Estate Red is a Bordeaux-blend flagship of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot
• Klein Constantia produces a traditional-method Cap Classique from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Klein Constantia is one of the most internationally recognised South African wine estates and a fixture on the world's most prestigious sommelier lists. Tim Atkin MW has consistently rated Vin de Constance among the highest-scoring wines in his annual South Africa Report. The estate is a regular feature in the World's Best Vineyards list, recognising not only the wines but the visitor experience on the historic farm. The dry wines also receive consistent international acclaim, with Perdeblokke and Metis Sauvignon Blanc regularly scoring above 92 points across major critics. Klein Constantia is one of the few South African estates whose wines are routinely poured at three-starred Michelin restaurants worldwide, and Vin de Constance in particular has become a fixture of premium dessert wine lists alongside Chateau d'Yquem, Tokaji Aszu and the great German Eiswein producers. The Bakala-Harman ownership has invested heavily in cellar upgrades, vineyard replanting and brand development without altering the estate's essential identity as a custodian of one of the great historical wines of the world.

• Tim Atkin MW consistently scores Vin de Constance 97 to 98 points in his annual South Africa Report
• Regular fixture in the World's Best Vineyards list and on three-starred Michelin restaurant lists worldwide
• Vin de Constance sits alongside Chateau d'Yquem, Tokaji Aszu and the great German Eiswein producers as a benchmark dessert wine
• Bakala-Harman ownership since 2011 has invested in cellar, vineyard and brand without altering the estate's historical identity