Constantia White 2020 | A Region in a Bottle
As the third vintage is released, this award-winning white blend continues to showcase the beauty of Constantia Wine
Wade Bales has released the latest vintage in his acclaimed Regional Series. The Constantia White 2020 is undoubtedly a triumph for Constantia, Bales and the winemakers involved. The white blend has already been awarded the highly-coveted 5 stars from Platter – following in the footsteps of the acclaimed 2019 vintage.
“South Africa’s top wines are often undervalued and underrated, the idea of the Regional Series has been to work with these incredible winemakers and produce a bottle of wine which can stand alongside the best. A benchmark, comparable with wines around the world,” says Bales of the project.
A négociant in the Constantia Wine Valley for over 25 years, Wade’s goal with the project is to identify the premium wine growing regions of South Africa and work with the winemakers to produce a wine which embodies their signature style.
As South Africa’s oldest wine growing region, Constantia, has plenty to hang its hat on. From its proximity to Cape Town, to its history, magnificent terroir and of course its premium and age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc and flagship White Blends. The latter becoming the style for the Regional Series Constantia White – a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend, components of which were either barrel fermented or matured in oak.
First released in 2018, each year the participating winemakers of the Regional Series come together, each bringing either Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon components. These are then harmoniously blended by a different winemaker each vintage.
Although the lead winemaker for the 2020 vintage was Constantia Glen’s Justin van Wyk, Buitenverwachting, Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Beau Constantia, Steenberg and Constantia Royale all contributed wine for the project.
Comprising 78% Sauvignon Blanc and 22% Semillon, it is a wine of texture, tension and elegance. The Sauvignon gives the wine backbone, while Semillon adds weight and texture.
On the nose expect bold, tropical fruit with delicate aromatics of lime, green fig and orange-blossom. The palate exudes fruit purity together with citrus and waxy flavours, while boasting terrific freshness, good fruit concentration and depth yet remaining elegant with stony mineral nuances. Its fresh acidity is beautifully balanced by a mouth-coating creamy texture courtesy of barrel fermentation and maturation on the lees for seven months.
It’s a truly beautiful wine which captures the essence of Constantia, a message in a bottle expressing what Constantia does best.