WORDS: Saahirah Ismail
Spend some time in the gorgeous Constantia Valley and get serious about Sauvignon Blanc.
The wine route is made up of nine estates, each with their own unique offering and totaling 421 hectares of vine, 180ha of which is Sauvignon Blanc. These include Buitenverwachting, Eagles’ Nest, Silvermist, Klein Constantia, Steenberg Vineyards, Constantia Glen, Beau Constantia, Constantia Royale and Groot Constantia. These farms are run by passionate, hard-working teams dedicated to creating an exquisite product that represents the weather, the land, and the heart of what the Constantia Wine Valley is all about – and they’re all exceptionally serious about Sauvignon Blanc!
The Constantia Wine Route was established in 1685, making it one of the oldest wine farm routes outside of Europe. With stunning views, Constantia is an ideal location for an out-of-this-world experience just a stone’s throw away from the city centre buzz.
The passion of the winemakers
Producing an exquisite and well-balanced Sauvignon Blanc is a process, and the winemakers use the natural elements of the Constantia Valley to their advantage. For example, Silvermist’s Gregory Louw produces an organic wine that pays the utmost respect to its natural surroundings. Brad Paton of Buitenverwachting and Craig Barnard of Eagles’ Nest pay particular attention to the conservation of the vineyards, keeping them safe and thriving throughout the seasons.
In fact, all the winemakers of the Constantia Wine Route share a passion for winemaking, appreciation of the region and love for the Sauvignon Blanc varietal, with a deep understanding of what it takes to make a beautiful bottle of wine. Although the nine estates produce their own unique Sauvignon Blanc, there is a strong sense of community and wine farms work together to stay on top of their game and bring accolades and visitors to the region.
All their hard work and camaraderie shows in the symmetry of the vineyards, the individual flavours that shine through each glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and the beauty and genuine positivity that is felt throughout the Valley.
All about nature
The exclusivity of the Constantia area is its location. It has an optimal combination of soil, wind, and sun. “Constantia is a unique ward on the Cape Peninsula because it has an Oceanic or Atlantic influenced climate rather than classical Mediterranean climate,” says Top VinPro viticulturist, Etienne Terblanche.
The coastal winds coming mainly from False Bay provide cool cloud cover and humidity over the vineyards, on the foothills of Table Mountain. The slopes of the vineyard are generally east-facing and receive glorious morning sunshine, and the beautifully rich, granite-based soils provide ideal nutrients.
