klein constantia vin de constance 2017 150 cl

klein constantia is an estate closely linked to the history of the establishment of vines in south africa. simon van der stel, governor of the cape of good hope and founder of the estate, was in fact one of the first to believe, in 1685, that the cape terroir held great potential for the production of great wines. the name of constantia chosen for its new domain is probably inspired by constantia van goens, granddaughter of the governor general of the compagnie des indes to whom simon van der stel owes the allocation of vast lands to create his exploitation. the estate is thus located just behind table mountain, about twenty kilometers from cape town. on his death, the estate was bought by hendrik cloete who raised it to a unique level of notoriety: this sweet wine, made from overripe grapes, will thus have illustrious followers: louis philippe, napoleon - then in exile in saint helena - , frederick the great, bismarck, etc. during the 19th and 20th centuries, klein constantia experienced a succession of owners, alternating periods of crisis (the vineyard, ravaged by phylloxera, was bought by the state at the end of the 19th century) and the periods of splendour: in 1913, abraham lochner de villiers and his american wife clara hussey, very wealthy, acquired it, leading it in style until their death in the 1960s. klein konstantia has been since 1980 owned by the jooste family, who have made major investments to revive this historic vintage. klein constantia produces a range of wines from mainly sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and riesling grapes. but constance wine is the estate's flagship cuvée, a revival of the cuvée produced in the 18th and 19th centuries, presented in its original 50 cl bottle. klein constancia vin de constance 2017 150 cl is lucid silvery-straw in hue. it is beautifully defined on the nose, featuring scents of dried honey, almond, praline and pressed yellow flowers, perhaps borrowing some of the airiness of the 2016 vintage. the palate is underpinned by a keen line of acidity that effortlessly counterbalances the richness of this 2017, making it one of the easiest sweet wines to drink in its youth. it conveys plenty of energy with a very persistent orange peel, quince and marmalade finish, then a spicy aftertaste