This delicious three-way blend was carefully crafted from grapes grown on the estate. It comprises 55% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Franc and 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and was matured for 17 months in 30% new, 50% second fill- and 20% third fill French oak barrels. The wine was not fined, but only lightly filtered prior to bottling to subtly mellow the rich tannin structure. This vintage shows the phenomenal structure and freshness that has become synonymous to the Constantia Glen THREE, but also has excellent concentration. This means that it can be enjoyed in its youth, yet it will certainly age and develop admirably for another 10-12 years under correct cellaring conditions.
In the glass, the nose of this wine has great expression with forthcoming red and black fruit aromas. Following these initial ripe fruit aromas, there is a complex collection of savoury notes woven with lingering flavours of tomato leaf, blackcurrant, and cedar. The palate shows great intensity and complexity of flavours with the dark fruit and distinct savoury notes on the nose following flawlessly onto that first sip. The fine-grain, elegant and velvety tannins really compliment the richness of the wine and promise great aging potential if stored under correct cellar conditions. This full-bodied blend has an earthy minerality and an inherent freshness that brings about a lingering, well-defined finish.
The vineyards that the grapes come from for this wine are tucked in the steep valley on the eastern side of Table Mountain. The climate is Mediterranean with cooling breezes from the Atlantic Ocean encouraging balance and complexity in the grapes, this combined with the cool southern slopes and deep mountain soils provide the ideal setting for the making of these top quality wines.
