2008 Vin de Constance Blanc
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Tasting notes
The 2008 Vin de Constance needs a little more encouragement from the glass compared to other vintages. It is reminiscent of a Barsac with aspirations toward a Tokaji Aszú! There is lovely definition on the nose, which offers scents of Seville orange marmalade, quince, sea spray and mandarin, all gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous opening. Like the 2012, this is built around a killer line of acidity that lends tension and poise. Marmalade, apricot jam, grapefruit and honeyed notes form the chorus line, later joined by stem ginger and rhubarb. The finish is long and graceful. Excellent.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Deep amber. Tea, dried apricot and raisin, with clove, orange rind and dusty mineral notes. Fresh and bright, with acidity ahead of sweetness, carrying dried orange peel, tea and caramel. Long, long finish. At its peak. (TJ)
100% Muscat de Frontignan. Intensely pure apricot and bitter orange. Such purity, with the merest hint of grip to the texture. At the end of a long tasting, this is soothing nectar – still so youthful and with good further ageing potential. (JH)
Sweet and muscat – big and round. Acid and awkward. (JR)
About the producer
Based in Constantia, a short drive from the suburbs of Cape Town, Klein Constantia produces some of South Africa’s finest wines, including its iconic sweet wine, Vin de Constance.