KLEIN CONSTANTIA ESTATE

The legendary Vin de Constance has been produced again since 1986, thanks to the talent of winemaker Ross Gower and a double miracle of nature: the Muscat de Frontignan vines used are clones of those imported from France in 1656 by Governor Jan van Riebeeck. Every year, before the grape harvest, harriers leave the Siberian plains and come to spend a few months in the Constantia valley, protecting the vines from the looting birds. The resistance of the vines and the threat of birds of prey have made it possible to revive the wine that accompanied Napoleon in his exile from St. Helena. A sumptuous liqueur ordered in the 19th century by all the courts of Europe. Unlike Sauternes, there is no noble rot but the grapes ripen for a very long time on the vine, hence the concentration of sugar and fruity aromas. One month before the harvest, all the leaves are removed to allow the grapes to breathe and be exposed to the sun. In some years, up to half of the grapes are sacrificed in order to give the vines more reserves to draw from the soil. Once harvested, the Muscat de Frontignan, which is extremely ripe, is a delicate grape to press and requires a long fermentation. This is where all the cellar master's know-how comes into play. The wine is then aged for four years in French oak barrels. At the entrance to the estate, the tomb of Sheik Abdurahman Matebe shah, the last sultan of Malacca, he lived in Constantia until his death around 1681.