Klein Constantia - Muscat Vin de Constance 2013
Overview
Summary: Whilst still technically in a drought, we had a text book growing season with a slightly higher rainfall than previous years. It was characterised again by cold nights, warm days, wind and very little rainfall. This further aided the berry development and due to the dry conditions leading up to harvest, we had exceptionally healthy fruit.Vinfication: The approach used to create Vin de Constance is unique to Klein Constantia, tailored from historic information used to make the iconic sweet wines of Constantia in the 1700’s. From these records we have recreated a style of Muscat de Frontignan involving numerous winemaking techniques in order to create the perfect sweet wine. One of the most important aspects is to achieve balance, to do this we harvested the grapes in numerous batches over a 2 month period. Each batch has a precise purpose and is meticulously blended together on numerous occasions to achieve a perfect balance between sugar, alcohol and acidity. After an extended fermentation period, the wine was aged for 3 years in a combination of 50% new oak and acacia barrels, as well as large format foudres before further blending and bottling.
Additional Details
Due to a prolonged winter and cool spring, the growing season was late in 2013 and delayed budburst by up to 2 weeks. Ideal conditions prevailed with moderate daytime and cool nighttime temperatures. This together with a dry season ensured for perfect ripening and raisining of the Muscat de Frontignan. Bright and gold in appearance with aromas of citrus marmalade and frangi pani abundant on the nose. The palate is full bodied and complex. A good sugar to fruit ratio combined with a great acidity ensures the wine is in balance. The wine concludes with a long, spicy and grippy finish.Technical Details
- Appellation: Constantia, Western Cape
- Winemaker: Matthew Day
- Sustainability: Sustainable Practices, Organic Practices
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- Alcohol: 13.7%
- Ttl Acidity: 6.6 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 172 g/l
- Avg Production: textinput
- Sizes Available: 500ml, 1.5L
- Pack Size: 6/500ml, 3/1.5L
- Varietals: 100% Muscat de Frontignan