Vin de Constance, Klein Constantia 2010

The 2010 Vin de Constance was taken from barrel… Yes, you read that right. This vintage was never released due to the paucity of fruit. It was fermented on the skins in open-top fermenters with punch-downs and subsequently kept in barrel for the last 14 years, now due to be bottled in December 2024. It presents a pale amber hue. On the nose: elderflower, raspberry, walnut and hints of Moroccan spices. The palate is well balanced with a tangy, marmalade-tinged opening. It’s fresh and slightly viscous, with quite an elegant finish.

Tasted after the 2009 vintage, the extra maturation is palpable in the sheer depth and breadth of aromas on offer here: fragrant balsam, some dried apricot, but just tiptoeing into darker, molasses-tinged territory. Notably fatter and silkily textured – almost oily – on the palate, which shows a slight drying element from the oak and a suggestion of XO Cognac. The lengthy, intense finish evokes golden syrup, sandalwood and nougat, but always with an elegant undertow of jasmine and honeysuckle. Drink 2025-2040.