2006 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance

Wine Spectator
"95 pts ... This is gorgeous from the start, proffering sweet but precise tangerine, nectarine and clementine fruit flavors laced with date, orange blossom and green tea notes. Long and pure through the finish, with a lingering echo of bitter orange. The track record for this wine keeps getting better. Drink now through 2020."

Winemaker's Notes
"100% Muscat de Frontignan matured four years before release. This luscious late harvest nectar is Klein Constantia's revival of the legendary Constantia dessert wine, produced on the estate during the 18th and 19th centuries. The famed elixir was prized by kings, emperors, nobles, and literary geniuses, including Napoleon, Baudelaire, Dickens, and Jane Austen. Bright golden in colour with fresh green tinge. The richly aromatic nose displays candied orange peel, sundried peaches and whiffs of sandalwood. The palate is full and viscous with waves of white peach and pear flavours, restrained acidity and fine, nutty finish."

Technical Notes
"Method: The shriveled, late harvest grapes were hand picked, de-stemmed, crushed, and left to macerate on their skins for several days. The maceration process aids the eventual pressing, as the softer skins allow the grapes to release their meager juice more easily. The juice was pressed to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. The wine then underwent a lengthy cellar maturation process, with 24 months in tank followed by an additional 24 months in old 500 liter oak barrels. Wood aging: 24 months in 10 year old 500 liter French oak barrels. The combination of high residual sugar and alcohol levels has a well known preservative effect on bottled wine. Provided the cellaring conditions are ideal (12ºC and 75-85% humidity) this wine is capable of ageing for at least 20 years from the date of bottling, and in many cases somewhat longer than that. Residual Sugar 157g/L; Acid 8.7g/L; pH 3.45; Alc. 12.5%"