When it comes to dessert wine, most people automatically
think of Port, Sauternes, or maybe even Tokaji, but there was another wine that
made its’ mark, and is little known: Constantia Wyn (wine).
“From these Elysian fields used to come one of the very greatest
wines in the world – the legendary Constantia,” wrote Hugh Johnson, “Constantia
was bought by European courts in the 18th and 19th Centuries in preference to Chateau
d'Yquem, Tokay, and Madeira”. Even when Napoleon was defeated and exiled, by
the British, to the island of St. Helena, his household was supplied with
"les vins de Constance" daily, shipping 30 bottles over to the island
every month. He reportedly requested a glass on his deathbed, refusing all
other food and drink offered to him.
So what was so special about this wine? We need to take a
look at the early history of South Africa, one of the oldest, New World,
growing regions.
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| Groot Constantia |
Wine growing in South Africa began in 1652, with the way
station for the Dutch East India Company. The early grape varieties included
numerous versions of Muscat and Palomino. With the arrival of the Huguenots
(refugees from France), the introduction of Chenin Blanc (known as “Steen” in
South Africa) and other French varieties were also planted.
In 1685, during an annual visit to the Cape, Hendrik Adriaan
van Rheede tot Drakenstein granted the grounds of Constantia to Simon van der
Stel, the first Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. A total of 891 morgen
(equivalent to 550 acres) was granted. This particular valley was chosen not
only for its beauty, but also for the decomposed granite, high clay content, soils
and slopes that are gently cooled by the ocean breezes. It is said that
Governor van der Stel named his property after Constanza, the little daughter
of his benefactor. By 1709, there were 70,000 vines on the farm and Van der
Stel produced 5,630 liters of wine.
The Constantia Valley
was the cradle, and birthplace, of quality wine-making in South Africa.
Simon van der Stel died in 1712. Then in 1714, Constantia
was subdivided and sold by way of auction. The estate was broken up and sold in
three parts: Groot (big) Constantia; Klein (little) Constantia; and Bergvliet. Pieter
de Meijer bought two parts: Bergvliet and Klein Constantia. Captain Oloff Bergh
bought Groot Constantia, on which the Van der Stel buildings were situated. The
properties changed hands numerous times, until Hendrik Cloete bought Groot
Constantia in 1778. It was Cloete who really made Constantia famous, with a
sweet, unfortified wine made from a blend of mostly Muscat de Frontignan
(Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Pontac, red and white Muscadel and a little
Chenin Blanc. The estate belonged to the Cloete family for more than a hundred
years (and five generations), until the devastating phylloxera epidemic in the
1880s forced its sale to the government. Phyloxerra devastated most of the
vineyards causing bankruptcy and ruin for many of the old winemaking families.
Between tariffs imposed by the British rule, Phylloxera, and
the Boer Wars, wine growing in the region dwindled. Constantia wine survived
only in the poetry and prose of the 19th Century and in the cellars of Europe’s
greatest wine collectors. Exports eventually declined, and what grapes were
grown, contributed to excessive supply. In 1918, the Koöperatieve Wijnbouwers
Vereniging (KWV) was established to deal with surplus production, and by the
1940’s had taken complete control of the wine industry. It wasn’t until 1992,
that the KWV was dismantled. Also, during the 1980’s, South African products
were boycotted, due to Apartheid. This global response isolated South Africa.
Nelson Mandela was released in 1993, which led to re-investment in South
Africa, but the recovery for the wine business has been slow.
Today, nine producers make up the Constantia wine region: Groot
Constantia, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Constantia Uitsig, Steenberg,
Constantia Glen, Eagles' Nest, Beau Constantia and Silvermist. Of these, three
are producing dessert wines which are similar to the original wines that gained
so much fame.
Groot Constantia is South Africa’s oldest wine producing
farm. Since its inception, in 1685, the Estate has had a history of
uninterrupted wine production, an achievement that cannot be claimed by any
other winery in South Africa. This achievement makes Groot Constantia’s
trademark one of the oldest surviving trademarks in the world. At Groot
Constantia, production of dessert wine was reintroduced in 2003, producing their
expression of the world famous “Constantia Wyn”, now known as “Grand Constance”.
In 1980 Duggie Jooste bought Klein Constantia, redeveloped
the farm with the help of then winemaker Ross Gower & Professor Chris Orferr
of Stellenbosch University. Early records were studied and careful selection
made from vines which, in all likelihood, came from the original stock used in
Constantia, 300 years earlier. On November 30, 1985, Klein Constantia released
its first new vintages for commercial sale in over a century, including
"Vin de Constance", made from the Muscat de Frontignan grape, a re-creation
of the original Constantia sweet wyn of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Today,
Klein Constantia is part of Anwilka Vineyards.
In 1980, Buitenverwachting was purchased by the Mueller
family. Buitenverwachting means “Beyond Expectations”. Production resumed in
2007. Buitenverwachting dessert wine is known as '1769'.
Now we know the history, but what is so special about these
wines?
First off, the terroir (soil, aspect and weather) plays a part in
the quality of the grape. Secondly, the grape berries are left on the vine, and
allowed to ripen fully, to the point of raisining. By allowing the grapes to
raisinate, the flavors and sugars are concentrated. Harvest takes place in
March or April, and the bunches are hand selected. They are allowed to macerate
for one to two weeks, and then pressed. Imagine how little juice is produced
from a raisin, and you’ll understand the cost associated with these wines. At
such high sugar levels, fermentation can take from six months to a year, to be
completed. Then they are aged, in barrel, for an additional four to five years,
before release.
These luscious, sweet, natural wines have not been affected
by botrytis (like Sauternes) or fortified with brandy (like Port). They have an
apricot and raisin nose, along with nuts and honey. They are prefect for
dessert, but can also be paired nicely with pâté or foie gras.
Today, these three Constantia wineries continue to make some
of the world’s best dessert wines; wines that reflect the cool Constantia
climate, minerality, balance and elegance, as well as their 300+ year, historic
tradition.
I will admit that these wines are hard to find in the United
States. I have been teaching and talking about these wines for the last ten
years, and just this week, found a shop in Southern California that had three
bottles in stock. When you find them, pay the price, and try them.