Frequently described as one of the world’s most beautiful vineyard locations, Klein Constantia is located just 20 kilometres from Cape Town’s city centre, with superb views across the historic Constantia valley and over False Bay. The 146-hectare estate originally formed part of Constantia, the vast property established in 1685 by the first governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel, who chose the v
alley not only for its beauty, but also for its decomposed granite soils on slopes gently cooled by ocean breezes. Within a remarkably short period of time, the lusciously sweet wines of Constantia were famous –savoured by royalty, given pride of place in the cellars of the world’s greatest wine collectors, immortalised by the best poets and authors of the 18th and 19th centuries including Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Baudelaire. Alas, this 'vin de Constance' was almost lost to the wine world forever owing to the arrival of phylloxera in the Cape in the late 1800’s. It was not until Duggie Jooste bought the farm in 1980 that the recreation of this great wine occurred and over the past thirty years not only has one of the world’s greatest dessert wines been revived; it has also been joined by a range of award-winning dry wines – all made possible by the ideal growing conditions identified by Van der Stel almost 330 years ago. This unique combination of location and heritage is what convinced Czech-American businessmen, investor and philanthropist, Zdenĕk Bakala and UK-based CEO of the BXR Group, Charles Harman to purchase the estate from the Jooste family in May 2011.
“We are privileged to be custodians of one of the most historic properties in the Cape, and regard the preservation of this heritage as a serious responsibility.”
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Cellar hours:
Monday to Friday: 10am to 5pm. Saturdays (winter): 10am to 4.30pm. Sundays (summer): 10am to 4pm. Open on select Public Holidays.
