Klein Constantia Estate — Restaurant in Constantia

It makes me sad to rate one of my favorite wineries with a three star rating. I have been to Klein Constantia many times over the last (more or less) 16 years. Their wines are just beautiful, I love the setting and of course the amazing Sweet wine, which they are famous for.

When arriving yesterday, the tasting room was crowded and they couldn't offer us a tasting. We decided to wait a bit and asked a very friendly woman with blonde hair again, letting her know, that we are fans of the winery and their wines. Finally there was an opportunity to seat us and after a while the tasting room was nearly empty again.

One of us did the Signature Tasting (ZAR 150) and the other the Sauvignon Blanc Story (ZAR 250). I was a bit confused by the order the wines were served, especially for the Sauvignon Blanc tasting, where they first poured the CLARA and the METIS, both 80% in French Oak, and after that the basic Sauvignon Blanc (only Stainless Steel) and the Flagship PERDEBLOKKE. We asked Victor, who did the tasting with us, about the reasons, but he just explained the order of the Signature. No matter what, we also told him, that our first two wines, especially the Sauvignon Blancs, were way to warm, so you couldn't get the Aromas and flavors in the right way. Even the glass was not forged up (I don't know if this is the right English wording) after pouring the wine. He just told us that they do have special fridges and the temperature is the best for Sauvignon Blanc and the winemaker want it in that way... Even when I mentioned two bottles of white wine standing on the bar without cooling for a while, he kept on telling me, that I am not right and the wine was cold and just getting warmer cause we were chatting.

REALLY???

I am working in wine business and service industry by myself, I know what I am talking about. After the tasting he blonde woman asked us, how the experience was and we were honest. She was sorry about that but nevertheless no one really did anything. Even after letting hr know, that I came to buy wine, but couldn't really get the aromas and flavors out of the above mentioned reason...

I also have to say, that the tasting portions are really the minimum amount you need to try. It's def not, that I do a tasting to get drunk, but you should have the chance to take two bigger tasting sips to get the full flavors in your mouth. Other wineries are really doing better at the moment.

What makes me sad is the fact, that all our former experiences with Klein Constantia were just amazing and we were doing the tasting twice a stay sometimes. This time I regret having done it and even if it wasn't planned, we did another tasting after, just to get a positive experience for the day. Yes, we were happy and thankful, that they did offer us the tasting even if it was crowded BEFORE. But I do expect MUCH MORE when paying ZAR 400 for two tastings. So no Klein Constantia wines for us...

This is a very difficult two-star review to write because the place has a lot of charm, some beautiful birds of paradise (and some potentially feral dogs if you're walking to the exit, after various wines) with views of the mountains.

We had a wonderfully balanced lunch with a delicious pairing wine and I said to my chum in action, that we had made a good choice.

Sadly the second part of the trip lacked such magic. We were keen, very keen to amble around the vineyard and get to grips with the wines. We were told, fairly bluntly once we had committed to the wine tasting that we were not allowed to walk around. They cited a reason but we couldn't even walk out the door next to the wine tasting room, for, I can't remember, security or what-not. The wine tasting room was not particularly intimate. It doubled up as the reception, so there was a healthy level of footfall. We ordered a package and discovered early on that it leaned on the whites. They said that there was a red package. We explained that we had tasted the red at lunch but would have picked that if we'd known that our package was heavy on whites. The wine team seemed somewhat bemused that we'd ordered the wrong package and begrudgingly ordered an alternative red wine instead of one of the whites. We thought they should have just changed the package as we'd made an honest mistake.

The chap who served us the wine was charming but the experience lacked ambience. On top of that, there was an overly corporate vibe. The customers willing to buy the best and the rest of the vineyard were given much more attention and we were ever privy to the bartering/offers of multi-wine buying from customers far richer than ourselves. We were dressed in our casual gladrags though. I think I was wearing my t-shirt saying, World's Best Dad. The other men were wearing finely-pressed slacks. My friend was wearing a smart dress with trainers, which she calls her Berlin Best style. She's not German.

So we were sort of left to sample the wines and when the wine tasting finished (fairly quickly) we were presented with the bill in a subtle but quick, the experience is now over. The manager, who was polite but not necessarily interested in us as visitors of the winery then followed us to the exit and politely but firmly asked if we'd paid, even though it was her colleague who we dealt with for the majority of the tasting. We felt that the experience could have been smoother, maybe a wine-tasting room, instead of a sort of open-plan 'bar'/reception area. Maybe music, maybe a video, maybe a more friendly, less business-like approach to wine.

Aside from that, nice wines. My friend said throughout that the second wine was nicer than the first etc, which shows either that she's easily pleased or that the wine was a...

On the 9th of April 2021, I was fortunate to be invited by the Cape Quaffers social wine tasting club for a wine tasting at Klein Constantia. As I have not been there yet, I jumped at the opportunity.

Upon arriving at Klein Constantia Estate, you go through a security gate, and I immediately felt safer and more secure.

The entrance to the tasting centre is pleasant and serene. The little water feature and the fish stream create a sense of peaceful tranquillity.

In a small walkway to the tasting facility's inner sanctum, you first have to sign in and accept the COVID protocols. It was great to see that although it is a must to follow all the COVID 19 protocols, you did not feel inundated with the severe pandemic that so interfered with our lives.

The history and how Klein Constantia came to be an estate and what type of varietal grows were are well displayed.

The tasting with Allan as our tasting master went awesome. Not only is he very knowledgeable about Klein Constantia Estate. The taste master is also very knowledgeable about the type of wines and the blends to make a specific type of show stopper like the "Vin De Constance", whom we were fortunate to have a little taste. At R1200 per bottle, this wine is well under-priced, in my amateur opinion.

We were a fantastic bunch of people together, and Allan, the taste master, had us laughing a couple of times with his quick wit and great humour.

After the tasting, we could browse and even buy some of the wines or other paraphernalia exhibited. I recommend a tasting at Klein Constantia Estate. You will have fun. #vindeconstance #kleinconstantia #grapes #wine #winelover #vineyard #team #muscatdefrontignan #bush #vine #sweetwine #legend #icon #capetown #southafrica #winelover #winestagram #constantia #constantiawine #vineyards...