Vin de Constance 2020

Klein Constantia

Units	Size	Case size	GBP Price:	Quantities	Buy
24	50cl	Case 6	£280 per Case	Cases	[Add to shopping basket]

Tasting Notes
Classic and expressive with seductive aromas of marmalade and honeysuckle, the 2020 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is fresh, balanced and complex, offering a delightful lift from 60% new oak. Clocking in at 13.5% alcohol, the palate displays a harmonious balance between fruit sweetness and energetic acidity. It has layers of complexity with impeccable breadth and depth. It may be one of the finest expressions of Vin de Constance to date, and it ends with succulent flavors of apricots, saffron, quince paste and sweet candied citrus tones over the long, ever-evolving finish. Aged for a year and a half in 50% new Hungarian and French oak barrels, followed by an additional year and a half of large format wooden foudre, only the best lots end up being selected for the final blend. Bravo! Run, don’t walk to buy this world-class sweet wine to put in your cellar! Score: 97 Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 December 2023
Rich rose gold in colour, just so much interest and depth on the aromatics. I always look forward to tasting this wine, and it never seems to disappoint. Dried apricot, caramel, patisserie, peach pit, sage, cardamon, sweet fleshy nectarine. This was a balanced vintage that was warm but not with the drought conditions of 2019, but it has plenty of sun-sweetened character, with lime zest twisting through the raising the tension and energy. Tasted twice. Matthew Day winemaker. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 16 August 2023
Bright medium-gold hue with a focused and intense nose layered with honeysuckle, apricot, citrus, honey and marmalade. A hint of mineral, too. Really pure and tangy with a luscious palate balanced by intense citrusy flavors and natural acidity that is beautifully chiselled to the palate. Long and effortless. Consistently great muscat here. Drinkable now if you love the vibrancy of it, but one could keep this for a decade or two. Score: 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 07 August 2023
Highly floral and concentrated nose full of marmalade, orange zest, toasted caramel patisserie, orange blossom, a Tutti Fruitti element and some soft oak touches too. Thick and viscous, comforting and deep with a weighty, sugary texture offset by serious spiced and toasted edges that give this angles and a taught frame. Serious, not so easy and generous, more dense and concentrated, this feels well built and purposeful. The sweetness (butterscotch, thick creamy lemon and apricot yoghurt and hints of honey) is countered by a delicious citrus zestiness and bitter orange touches. I adore the combination of flavours and this feels expertly made with precision, freshness and clarity. Lots to enjoy and think about here with a satisfying, long, mineral grip on the finish. From a challenging 2020 vintage with small, concentrated berries and a reduced crop. 174g/l residual sugar. 3.92pH. 6.3g/l total acidity. Ageing one and a half years in 50% new, 500l Hungarian and French oak barrels followed by the same time in large-format wooden foudre. Barrels are then selected with the best being chosen for the final blend. Winemaker Matthew Day. Score: 96 Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2023 - 2049 01 August 2023
You can read all about this wine and its history on this website because I have written it up a good number of times, so I will not rehash Vin de Constance’s elite customer list this time. Suffice it to say that when this sample arrived, my heart quickened, and I tasted it at my first opportunity. Why? Because it doesn’t matter what vintage you manage to track down, this wine is always celestial. In 2020, alongside the trademark beeswax, honeycomb, pineapple, peach, pear and countless other descriptors, you will find an acid structure that defies belief. Then one notices the colour or lack thereof. This is a painfully pale wine for such an all-singing and dancing flavour. I have seen these rare characteristics several times over the years, and they signal a Vin de Constance of uncommon longevity. Pale, taut and yet explosive = an epic vintage. And suppose you are tempted to open a bottle when it arrives this autumn. In that case, you do not have to feel guilty because it tastes incredible, but I think you might be able to forget about this wine for three or more decades, and it will still knock you over with its complexity and grace. Drink now to 2050. Score: 19 - 20 Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com 30 November -0001

Tasting Notes

Classic and expressive with seductive aromas of marmalade and honeysuckle, the 2020 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is fresh, balanced and complex, offering a delightful lift from 60% new oak. Clocking in at 13.5% alcohol, the palate displays a harmonious balance between fruit sweetness and energetic acidity. It has layers of complexity with impeccable breadth and depth. It may be one of the finest expressions of Vin de Constance to date, and it ends with succulent flavors of apricots, saffron, quince paste and sweet candied citrus tones over the long, ever-evolving finish. Aged for a year and a half in 50% new Hungarian and French oak barrels, followed by an additional year and a half of large format wooden foudre, only the best lots end up being selected for the final blend. Bravo! Run, don’t walk to buy this world-class sweet wine to put in your cellar!

Score: 97

Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 01 December 2023

Rich rose gold in colour, just so much interest and depth on the aromatics. I always look forward to tasting this wine, and it never seems to disappoint. Dried apricot, caramel, patisserie, peach pit, sage, cardamon, sweet fleshy nectarine. This was a balanced vintage that was warm but not with the drought conditions of 2019, but it has plenty of sun-sweetened character, with lime zest twisting through the raising the tension and energy. Tasted twice. Matthew Day winemaker.

Score: 95

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 16 August 2023

Bright medium-gold hue with a focused and intense nose layered with honeysuckle, apricot, citrus, honey and marmalade. A hint of mineral, too. Really pure and tangy with a luscious palate balanced by intense citrusy flavors and natural acidity that is beautifully chiselled to the palate. Long and effortless. Consistently great muscat here. Drinkable now if you love the vibrancy of it, but one could keep this for a decade or two.

Score: 96

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 07 August 2023

Highly floral and concentrated nose full of marmalade, orange zest, toasted caramel patisserie, orange blossom, a Tutti Fruitti element and some soft oak touches too. Thick and viscous, comforting and deep with a weighty, sugary texture offset by serious spiced and toasted edges that give this angles and a taught frame. Serious, not so easy and generous, more dense and concentrated, this feels well built and purposeful. The sweetness (butterscotch, thick creamy lemon and apricot yoghurt and hints of honey) is countered by a delicious citrus zestiness and bitter orange touches. I adore the combination of flavours and this feels expertly made with precision, freshness and clarity. Lots to enjoy and think about here with a satisfying, long, mineral grip on the finish. From a challenging 2020 vintage with small, concentrated berries and a reduced crop. 174g/l residual sugar. 3.92pH. 6.3g/l total acidity. Ageing one and a half years in 50% new, 500l Hungarian and French oak barrels followed by the same time in large-format wooden foudre. Barrels are then selected with the best being chosen for the final blend. Winemaker Matthew Day.

Score: 96

Decanter, Decanter.com Maturity: 2023 - 2049 01 August 2023

You can read all about this wine and its history on this website because I have written it up a good number of times, so I will not rehash Vin de Constance’s elite customer list this time. Suffice it to say that when this sample arrived, my heart quickened, and I tasted it at my first opportunity. Why? Because it doesn’t matter what vintage you manage to track down, this wine is always celestial. In 2020, alongside the trademark beeswax, honeycomb, pineapple, peach, pear and countless other descriptors, you will find an acid structure that defies belief. Then one notices the colour or lack thereof. This is a painfully pale wine for such an all-singing and dancing flavour. I have seen these rare characteristics several times over the years, and they signal a Vin de Constance of uncommon longevity. Pale, taut and yet explosive = an epic vintage. And suppose you are tempted to open a bottle when it arrives this autumn. In that case, you do not have to feel guilty because it tastes incredible, but I think you might be able to forget about this wine for three or more decades, and it will still knock you over with its complexity and grace. Drink now to 2050.

Score: 19 - 20

Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com 30 November -0001

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