2012 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Vin de Constance was winemaker Matt Day's maiden vintage. Now at 13 years old, it has a burnished amber hue. There are still those tangerines and mandarins on the nose, now with touches of stewed fig. Fine delineation. The palate is very well balanced with a viscous entry, intense pure honeyed fruit effortlessly countered by the acidity and there is wonderful harmony on the finish. Outstanding.
Critic scores
Neal Martin
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Starting with a kiss of volatility, the 2012 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine has a medium gold core and notes of apricot marmalade. Displaying impressive weight with notions of dried orange peel, the palate shows a medium to full-bodied dessert wine with impressive texture and succulent mouthfeel that's incredibly pleasing and graceful. With a balanced structure and sweet-fruited core, the Vin de Constance is approachable now and will drink well for the next 10+ years. I'd like to see a touch more acidity to push my score higher and drink dates even further into the future.
The 2012 Vin de Constance has a lucid amber hue. Tangerine, orange peel and a touch of wet wool on the nose, becoming increasingly petrolly with time, this has verve and intensity. The palate is underpinned by a fine bead of acidity that cuts through its viscosity, barley sugar and quince, smooth and harmonious with an utterly seductive finish. I feel this is beginning to reach its plateau, but it has the energy to remain cruising at high altitude for a number of years.
The 2012 Vin de Constance is limpid golden in color. It has a pure honeyed bouquet that blossoms in the glass to reveal irresistible scents of apricot, quince, pressed flowers and saffron, gaining intensity with aeration and turning almost overwhelming after several minutes. The palate is beautifully defined with outstanding acidity and energy. This is wonderfully poised, perhaps more so than the 2016 tasted alongside. Tension on the finish coupled with salinity keeps you returning for more. Outstanding.
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.