Winelands, Cape Town, Constantia

Constantia Wine Region, Cape Town
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Constantia is unfortunately not included in our standard Cape Town winelands tours. In 1685, the Constantia Winelands were established in a valley by the Governor of Cape Town, Simon van der Stel whose Vin de Constance Wine soon acquired a good reputation. But it was Hendrik Cloete, who bought the Farm in 1778, who really made the name of Constantia famous, with an unfortified Cape Town wine made from a blend of mostly Muscat de Frontignan (Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains), Pontac, red and white Muscadel (probably clones of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains) and a little Chenin Blanc. It became a favourite of European kings and emperors, such as Frederick the Great and Napoleon who had it ordered from his exile on St Helena from the Cape Winelands, South Africa.

In 1861, however, the Gladstone government removed empire preferential tariffs, and as a result wine exports nearly dried up, and the golden era was brought to an end when the Cape Town winelands were decimated by phylloxera and powdery mildew, The Cloete family were bankrupted, and in 1885 The Groot Constantia Wine Farms was sold to the government as an experimental Cape Town wine station.

In 1980 Duggie Jooste bought Klein Constantia wine farm, redeveloped it, and is now selling a new version of Vin de Constance wine made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains.

Constantia is not included in our basic Cape Town winelands tour, feel free however to request a private tour where we can include it for you.