We’ve been in Cape Town four months now and not yet ventured out to taste the blush of the vines, apart from the visit to my grandparent’s old fruit farm turned into a wine estate in Stellenbosch. So, last weekend, on a lovely clear Saturday morning, we set off with our friend, Pieter Jolly, in his 56 year old Citroen to explore our local Constantia Valley, a half hour from home.
The day was too short to visit more than three of the eight farms in this region, but I think we chose well.
Constantia Uitsig (uitsig = view) is much more than a mere wine estate, with three restaurants, a cricket oval, a hotel made up of guest cottages and spa, and, finally, rows and rows of vines. Sadly the tasting room abuts the main road and feels decidedly “touristy” leading into one of the restaurants.
Because Constantia Uitsig charges for their tasting (R20 for 6 wines) we only ordered two, one for Pieter and one for Tim and me to share. We started with a bubbly, the only estate of the three we visited to offer a Methode Cap Classique (South Africa’s name for Methode Champenoise). It was a good way to start our morning, but, ouch, the cost of this and all their wines was as unattractive as the setting alongside the busy road. The wines were very nice but a touch beyond our means.
Without being inspired to take any photos here, we piled into the Citroen and moved on to the next farm called Klein Constantia (= Small Constantia), winding our way along the back roads. We felt like we were miles from suburbia as we skirted the border of the original Constantia Estate, now subdivided into Groote (=Big) Constantia, Klein Constantia and Buitenverwachting (see below).
We passed through the guarded gates and Pieter led the Citroen along the dusty farm lane to the tasting room, passing ancient buildings that triggered old history lessons of Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival in the Cape and the early attempts to make wine.
The tasting room was situated on the floor above the cellar with glass doors to view what was happening down there. There was a buzz of activity here, lots of tasters, all very friendly. We loved the wines, although they, too, were a little pricey. The hosts were extremely generous ending with a small tot of their famous Vin de Constance, a dessert wine made in the same tradition as that produced in the 18/19th century enjoyed by the likes of Napoleon.
Another plus – there was no charge for the tasting at Klein Constantia – bonus! They produce a cheaper KC label, not on the tasting list, but available from our local distributor.
Klein Constantia gets a big thumbs up.
Buitenverwachting (= Beyond Expectation) is almost next door to Klein Constantia and also part of the original Constantia Estate. Another lovely farm road led us past beautiful old buildings to their tasting room where, again, there was no charge. The mood was friendly and we made our way through half a dozen whites and reds, served by a young woman who works at weekends with her husband.
We weren’t able to see the cellar from the tasting room like we were at Klein Constantia, but there were casual tables, chairs and couches that created a comfortable atmosphere.
Outside, a gorgeous long lawn spread out towards the manor house where, from a side building, the cellar master’s wife served delicious picnics. By this stage we’d consumed enough wine samples to need to feast ourselves back to sobriety!
Some photos of our day and also of our lovely hike on Sunday in Kalk Bay with Nan and Daniel.
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