#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Constantia Glen

It's definitely one of my favourite #WineRoutingWithLloyd stops. The combination of the view, the wine, the food & the company at Constantia Glen is always a winner. Last time I sat down for lunch with winemaker Justin van Wyk was in May 2019, & it really just feels like yesterday.

This Heritage Day, Constantia Glen is pulling out all the stops. You'll be in for a treat - indulge in a South African Braai platter whilst listening to some local live music, (live music, currently weather dependent). A rather generous platter for 2 - lamb straight of the spit, boerewors, braai-broodjies, pap poppers with cheese & peppadews, Chakalaka, mixed salad & olives, for only R360.

With the weather taking a turn for the better & that feeling of Spring in the air, good food needs good wine. On my recent visit, I tasted some of the latest offerings & I can reassure you that it would all make a good combination. (Especially the red Bordeaux varietal blends - Constantia Glen THREE (2017) & the Constantia Glen FIVE (2018)).

A premium offering of wines at it's best. The THREE - a blend of 3 Bordeaux varietals; Merlot, Malbec & Cabernet Sauvignon. A dark red that unwinds into a lighter & more lively garnet colour in the glass. On the nose there's a distinct hint of ripe red & black fruits mixed with a touch of savoury elements. Whilst on the palate those ripe fruits follow with a velvety mouthfeel & with some minerality to linger just long enough until that next sip. 

The FIVE - bright aromas of plums, black currant & touches of dried herbs followed by tender savoury notes & just a slight hint of violets. The Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot & Malbec makes for a great food wine, especially for Heritage Day. A powerful & structured palate that follows well from the nose & finishes with a lingering freshness.

All the other popular cheese & charcuterie platters & menu items are naturally available - the Trout Rosti is fresh & full of flavour. A delightful mix of textures that accompany the wines so well. 

I'd highly recommend to make that reservation, as space is limited with current level 3 lockdown restrictions. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd is driven by the #KiaPegas

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Constantia Glen

A wine estate that has one of my favourite views in Constantia, is most definitely Constantia Glen. There is just an air of surreal tranquility that is really just good for the soul. We finished our #WineRoutingWithLloyd trip this year, with a stop here. And what a way to end off a great trip. 

Lunch with winemaker - Justin van Wyk. A real down to earth guy & we just had a wonderful afternoon of eating some of his favourite items from the menu & sipping on some of the award winning wines that come from the estate. 

Just a quick mention, that the Constantia Glen TWO 2018 is 1 of 5 white Bordeaux-style blends that were recently rated as 'wine of the year' in Tim Atkin's 2019 SA Special Report, & got a 95/100 for the 3rd consecutive vintage. Whilst the Constantia Glen FIVE 2015 & Constantia Glen THREE 2016 both scored 93 points. 

The Constantia Glen TWO is my favourite. A soft barrel fermented blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon where the oak, tropical fruits & slight minerality are combined & balanced elegantly. 

The Constantia Glen THREE, is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc. These grapes are hand harvested & sorted, so you know that some serious care has gone into making sure these grapes are perfect. Dark red & black fruits coming through on the nose & intensify on the palate into something slightly more savoury. 

The Constantia Glen FIVE, is the flagship wine & a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec & Petit Verdot. Ripe black cherries initially hit me hard on this one, but with some time & air, there was a bit of floral & even herbaceous notes. On the palate, a rich full bodied wine that is like velvet. 

Having a conversation with Justin van Wyk really does leave you in awe of the incredible work that a winemaker actually goes through to get from vine to bottle. He is definitely one of the really calm & collected guys & that really comes through in his wines. The attention to detail in prep of grapes & the fermentation process are proven in the outstanding quality of the wines you'll get here. 

The menu is seasonal, & will surprise you each time you get there. But what I can guarantee, is that you will always find something fresh & interesting to eat. 

From a fresh Tuna Niçoise salad or the winemakers choice of flat bread, or as it is otherwise known - Flammkuchen, that sports Boerewors & an egg! Each to his own, but definitely don't be shy & be adventurous when ordering something off of this menu. 

To end off. A delectable chocolate fondant, that will have satisfy that sweet tooth of yours! I love how the acidity of the strawberry breaks through that sweetness of the dark chocolate. Yum.

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Driven by the #KiaSportage

'Constantia Glen - A timeless vision'

So last year I visited Constantia Glen on my #WineRoutingWithLloyd trip & it's in one of the most beautiful areas, that is rich in South African history & heritage that so few people actually know. That is until now. The journey over the last 140 years of this gem of a wine farm in the oldest wine region in SA, is something real special.

One of the best things about this wine estate, is that it is about a 20 min drive from Cape Town City Centre, so it's deceptively close, but far enough from the urban bustle. 

Image - Craig Fraser

So, there has been research & writing by author Clare O'Donoghue. And photography by Craig Fraser. Which has led to the this journey finally being bound in 'Constantia Glen - A timeless vision.'

It is a visual feast, as some would say, of the history & intimate story of the Waibel family, who have loved & nurtured the land for over 4 generations. Capturing the life & times of the the boutique wine estate through its early history & eventual transformation from a forest, to one of the Cape's premier family owned estates. 

"There's a lot to be said for continuity," says Alexander Waibel - 3rd generatioin custodian of Constantia Glen. "It's in the way we learn about our vineyards & the way we value the people who work in them."

Image - Craig Fraser

Image - Craig Fraser

Image - Craig Fraser

With the 1st vines only being planted in 2000, the first vintage of Sauvignon Blanc was harvested in 2005 on the 60 hectares of undulating landscape. Winemaker, Justin van Wyk believes that they are able to steer the grapes into wines that are a reflection of where they are grown.

Image - Craig Fraser

'Constantia Glen - A timeless vision' is available at selected book stores & retails at R500.

Check out my #WineRoutingWithLloyd visit to Constantia Glen here. 

(Just a heads up. I'll be popping in there again this year, so keep your eyes out on the #WineRoutingWithLloyd developments.)

#WineRoutingWithLloyd - Constantia Glen

Literally just a few minutes drive, depending on the traffic, from the Cape Town city centre, within the Constantia area, lies Constantia Glen. A boutique wine estate that produces ultra-premium, cool climate wines.

The Constantia area, dating back to 1685, makes it the oldest wine producing region in South Africa, so you can just imagine the incredible history behind the estate, the wines & story.

On a rather unique position, just below Constantia Nek. The predominantly north-east facing slopes are cradled between the Constantiaberg & Table Mountain, providing late afternoon sun, which is known to be ideal for the slow ripening of grapes. This is something that most definitely comes through in these classical wines. 

With just a 60 hectare property of decomposed granite & sandstone, ranging from 130-270 metres, effectively means that only 29 hectares are under vine production. Naturally this is something that limits production to around 100,000 bottles per annum. Lending that ultra premium status even more so, & add to that hand harvesting, you are sure to have the best hand crafted quality wines in the region. 

You're in for crisp, fresh white wines & elegantly structured vibrant red wines that have been made from grapes with exceptional quality & flavour concentration. Only producing 4 wines - Constantia Glen TWO, Constantia Glen THREE, Constantia Glen FIVE, and a special Sauvignon Blanc, you will be able to easily try them all. 

What I loved about the visit was the vibe & feel. (If you know me, then you know that, that is probably one of the most important aspects around anything. If I feel comfortable & I'm relaxed where I am, then you know you've already impressed me.) We sat on the one side of the restaurant, overlooking a part of the vineyard & you just got that feel of a real old school home. (A very busy home in fact. I rate that if you want to make this a stop over the weekend, best you get there early if you want to get a good spot.)

Also got to try out some of the Van Wyk Family wines, that have been made by winemaker, Justin van Wyk. The Olivia Grace, is a blend of white grapes - Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay & Viognier. Now, just right there you already have some of my favourites. So I knew that it would be a winning wine on my palate. With vines from the Darling, Breedekloof & Stellenbosch & Constantia areas, and matured in new & old French oak barrels & concrete eggs. Then finally blended & bottled to give you a unique Cape White that has complex layers that unfold beautifully with each sip. 

Check out Constantia Glen here. 

#WineRoutingWithLloyd