Klein Constantia Estate tasting room review
Klein Constantia Estate Tasting Room Review
Which wineries are worth visiting? Every month two of the same caliber are put to the test. By Rob Morris.
This feels almost treacherous. Any critical evaluation of a winery as distinguished as Klein Constantia is akin to putting one’s grandmother in a home – it’s an unenviable, guilt-ridden task when one discovers the “grand old dame” of this country’s oldest wine ward does indeed have room for improvement at the tasting room.
Any Cape wino should have KC on autopilot. Driving south from the city on the M3 and making the Constantia Village turnoff onto the M42, it’s no problem finding your way to KC on Constantia Wine Route signage alone. The tasting room does not exactly scream old-world charm with its clean modern lines, glass doors and open-plan layout. There is no obvious wheelchair entrance.
Klein Constantia should be more about nostalgia and less about a cold functional space with no seating, where the sights and sounds of the bottling plant spoil what is near-perfect service on the day from our host, Janine, at the pouring counter. But grandma likes to reminisce, so there are displays aplenty on the region’s and farm’s origins. Vintage Vin de Constance bottles are exhibited with supporting literature.
Small groups and individuals taste for free with large parties levied R20 a head. Reasonable. The line-up on offer is impressive to say the least: Vin de Constance and the topical Anwilka blend (a collaboration between Bruno Prats, ex of St-Estèphe second growth Cos d’Estournel, Hubert de Boüard of St- Emilion premier grand cru Angelus and KC’s Lowell Jooste) flow generously into unbranded stemware from manufacturer Italesse. International culinary bestseller Vin de Constance with Michelle Roux Jr can be purchased for R190 from the cellar. There is no restaurant.
There are signs of dementia, however: grandma is skimping on the Sauvignon Blanc – a perennial performer for the farm – with no premium label or KC range Sauvignon available for tasting, a serious let down and almost inexplicable when Vin de Constance flows liberally at R295 per 375ml bottle. White wine has made the farm’s reputation but look out for the KC Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot, phenomenal value at R48 per bottle. Janine volunteers an older vintage of Klein Constantia Shiraz 2000 (now discontinued) and it’s immaculate.
Her product knowledge is sound. She can stay. The bottling plant must be banished to operate from behind closed doors.
OPEN: Mon-Fri 09h00 -17h00,
Sat 09h00-13h00
SERVICE: 7/10 – willing, generous
and informed.
AMBIENCE: 5/10 – jarring;
production line meets leafy suburb.
VALUE: 8/10 – wines over-deliver
on price, regardless of the price.
QUALITY: 8/10 – some dangerously
accessible quaffers interspersed with
iconic SA offerings.
