The 2015 vintage brought about both challenges and joys. It is the first vintage to be completed in our renovated cellar, with equipment dedicated for the making of Vin de Constance. This harvest marked the first year of the long 3 year drought in the Cape, resulting in the earliest harvest of Muscat de Frontignan we have had since 1986. It was also the year of the terrible fires that raged through the Cape Peninsula.

The drought prompted a shorter harvest, which resulted in faster ripening fruit yielding berries with concentrated flavors and well balanced acidity. With the renovated cellar, we could make use of dedicated tanks intended for perfect maceration and fermentation of the Muscat.

Throughout the season we harvested in batches - from the riper berries that have great acidity to the raisins for sugar concentration. Each batch is kept separate and treated differently. These batches make up the perfect ratio between sugar, alcohol and acidity which allows the wine to stop fermentation naturally and without intervention.

The wine was aged in a combination of 50 % new French oak, Hungarian oak and French Acacia. It was left for a period of 3 years in barrel on the gross lees before racking out and blending. It spent a further 6 months in tank before bottling.

Winemaker: Matt Day

The 2015 vintage brought about both challenges and joys. It is the first vintage to be completed in our renovated cellar, with equipment dedicated for the making of Vin de Constance. This harvest marked the first year of the long 3 year drought in the Cape, resulting in the earliest harvest of Muscat de Frontignan we have had since 1986. It was also the year of the terrible fires that raged through the Cape Peninsula.

The drought prompted a shorter harvest, which resulted in faster ripening fruit yielding berries with concentrated flavors and well balanced acidity. With the renovated cellar, we could make use of dedicated tanks intended for perfect maceration and fermentation of the Muscat.

Throughout the season we harvested in batches - from the riper berries that have great acidity to the raisins for sugar concentration. Each batch is kept separate and treated differently. These batches make up the perfect ratio between sugar, alcohol and acidity which allows the wine to stop fermentation naturally and without intervention.

The wine was aged in a combination of 50 % new French oak, Hungarian oak and French Acacia. It was left for a period of 3 years in barrel on the gross lees before racking out and blending. It spent a further 6 months in tank before bottling.

Winemaker: Matt Day