WATCH: Constantia’s ‘message in a bottle’ already an award-winning wine

Wade Bales and the wine makers of the Constantia wine region launched their Constantia White 2020 at a luncheon in Johannesburg last week.

Hosted by Miguel Chan from Hydepark Southern Sun and Wade Bales, the owner of Wade Bales Wine Society, guests were treated to a vertical tasting of the Constantia White together with benchmarks from the participating farms.

The Constantia White 2020, which has already been awarded the highly-coveted 5 stars from Platter, is part of the Regional Series which was first introduced to market 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.

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Explaining the passion behind the Regional Series project, Bales said South Africa’s top wines are often undervalued and underrated.

“The Regional Series is really an attempt to improve the international perception of South African wines. It’s about identifying the prime growing regions in South Africa and deciding together with the wine makers what the signature style of that region is and then working together to create a wine that embodies the region,” Bales told The Citizen during an interview at the launch of the new Constantia 2020.

Justin van Wyk from Constantia Glen Winery and the lead winemaker for the 2020 vintage explained that the Constantia White 2020 is a blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc and 22% Semillon.

Brad Paton, one of the head winemakers at Buitenverwachting, who was involved in creating the second vintage of the Regional Series, the Constantia White 2019, says the Semillon adds a whole new dimension to the wine.

Van Wyk added that seven different winemakers contributed samples for the vintage, and that the Constantia White 2020 was a collective effort to produce a regional identity.

“I think this wine is a good showcase of the region. It shows the elegance and the freshness and the style of wine that we are known for in Constantia.”

So, what can consumers expect from this new white blend?

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.