Constant delight

It is the wine that Napoleon drank in large quantities during his exile on St Helena, while Jane Austen's character Mrs Jennings in Sense and Sensibility recommended it for its "healing powers on a disappointed heart". Whether you are a deposed Emperor or a disappointed lover, the wine of Constantia is delicious and unforgettable.

Sweet as nectar, but not cloying, instead providing razor-sharp acidity to counteract its extraordinary complex aromas and flavours, Vin de Constance is back on the shelves after a gap of almost 150 years.

Constantia is the name of a district in the South African winelands. South of Cape Town on a promontory which juts out into the ocean, this area is swept by cooling sea breezes, keeping temperatures down. It is also in the shadow of Table Mountain and, in the afternoon the sun retreats behind the mountain and its tablecloth of cloud, relieving the intensity of the heat of the day.

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It is not surprising that this is vineyard area is under the most pressure from the urban sprawl of Cape Town, since this is a very comfortable and convenient place to live, and many vineyards are encircled by upmarket houses built on outlying portions of former farm estates.

Simon van de Stel, the first governor of the new colony at the Cape in 1685, who gave his name to the Stellenbosch wine region, established his own farm here, taking advantage of the good soil and the slopes. He apparently named it after Constance, the daughter of the man who was in charge of mapping out the land grants in the colony, and since his portion was 15 times larger than anyone else's, that was probably a good idea. He quickly established the vineyard and planted long avenues of European oaks to break the force of the south-easterly gales.

De Stel had had the forethought to take a French winegrower with him on his ship and his wines rapidly developed a reputation for quality. Within a short time the wine of Constantia was famous around the world, fetching extraordinary prices that rivalled the top wines of Tokaji. After de Stel's death in 1712 his estate was divided into Groot and Klein (Great and Small) Constantia and over the decades that followed, the fame of the wine continued but eventually changes in ownership, legislation and the sweep of vine disease across the Cape meant that the wine of Constantia became uneconomic to produce and it disappeared before the end of the 19th century.

Now the owners of Klein Constantia have revived this legendary wine, searching out the right grape variety and traditional winemaking methods to bring a taste of history to South African wine.

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Duggie Jooste bought the farm in 1980 when it was in a fairly run-down condition and first revived the vineyards and cellar. This estate produces an excellent range of wines, in particular a bright vibrant Sauvignon Blanc (www.winedrirect. co.uk, 8.50 a bottle) but the real star of the winery is Vin de Constance.

The wine-making team studied historical records and from descriptions of the taste of the wine, they concluded that it was probably made from Muscat de Frontignan. They found an old clone of this variety and, while they cannot be sure, they think it might be derived from the original stock used 300 years ago at Constantia.

The real difference these days is out in the vineyards. Back in the 1700s there were 100 slaves positioned around the vineyards to ensure that insects and birds did not damage the fruit. Now there is a hands-off approach, with a series of cover crops planted between the vines to act as natural soil aerators. No herbicides or insecticides are used and there is a definite effort to replant the natural fynbos of the region around the vineyard.

Vin de Constance is a sweet wine, made from grapes allowed to ripen fully on the vine, but not infected with botrytis. It is picked in a series of sweeps through the vineyard, each picking providing the various elements of acidity, sweetness and richness required by the wine. It is fermented slowly in 500 litre barrels and aged for four years developing complexity, before bottling.

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Tasting back through the range in the cellars of Klein Constantia, I was struck by the vibrancy and intensity of the fruit. Muscat de Frontignan is a powerful grape, almost flashy with floral aromas and hefty perfumed fruit, but Vin de Constance seems to condense it into a rich complexity of caramelised nuts, crystallised lime and spiced oranges.

The 1988 vintage was the colour of Amontillado sherry, fresh on the nose and with the aroma of coffee and caramelised sugar with a dash of liveliness on the palate.

The 1993 had long, elegant complexity, with toasted almonds and a raisiny finish. The 1996 harvest was wet and the grapes had developed botrytis which showed in a honeyed note with a savoury, almost dry backbone and a touch of top quality marmalade. The 1999 was one of my favourites in the flight with a crisp, lively approach, intense orange peel and quince fruit.

Moving through the vintages of 2001, 2002 and 2004 I was struck by the individuality of each wine while retaining the freshness, a balance of sweetness, complexity and a delicious depth of flavour within each wine.

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This is a wine to buy when you see it, and to then work out when you want to open it.

The production is small and it disappears quickly, so grab a bottle and keep it. It will partner all the classic rich desserts such as crme brule, caramelised fruit and even a tarte tatin. I would pair it with blue cheese, or just drink it in place of a dessert.

The current vintage, 2005 is tangy with citrus peel, a touch of pineapple, ginger and juicy melon fruit with luscious sweetness and length.

It won a Gold medal in the International Wine Challenge and is available at Majestic (30, or 23 on multibuy).

It also crops up in independent stores such as Harrogate Fine Wine (01423 522270) and Flourish and Prosper in Howden (01430 430006).

YP MAG 9/10/10