Constantia Glen has added a new luscious and ripe-fruit flavoured red to its already popular, easy drinking range of Constantia Saddle wines, all available exclusively at the tasting room at this boutique wine estate. To celebrate spring, new vintages of the rest of the trio – the delightfully crisp Constantia Saddle White and Rosé have also been released.
Composed of 57% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec, the Constantia Saddle Red 2012 has pronounced aromas of dark fruit and cherries, with undertones of spice and chocolate that add to the complexity of the wine. The pure red berry fruit that carries this wine is an expression of the freshness that is so often associated with grapes grown in Constantia Glen’s cool-climate vineyards.
Winemaker Justin van Wyk describes the Saddle Red as a wine with a soft entry owing to its velvety tannins: “Our latest addition to the Constantia Saddle range has good freshness that adds liveliness to a palate that is quite full and rich with good texture from well-rounded tannins. The wine is quite supple and the juicy texture makes it very appealing to drink in its youth. One can quite easily finish a bottle of this delicious drinking wine.”
Only 6 000 bottles of the Saddle Red were produced from the 2012 harvest and the wine was aged for 12 months in predominantly second-fill French oak barrels, with smaller fractions of first- and third-fill barrels. Although the wine drinks well in its youth it will continue to age and develop admirably in the bottle for three to four years.
The 2013 vintages of the Constantia Saddle Rosé and Constantia Saddle White are perfectly suited to welcome the new season.
The deliciously dry, yet full-flavoured Constantia Saddle Rosé, made from Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, has a graceful vibrancy that adds liveliness to the full and rich palate that teems with strawberry and red cherry flavours. The wine is fresh, but supple and textured, making it the perfect wine to enjoy on its own or with food on a glorious summer’s day.
With aromas of nectarine, guava and gooseberry and an underlying citrus note that carries beautifully through to the palate, the 2013 Constantia Saddle White shows the richness that Constantia fruit offers.
An opulent and indulgent blend of 86% Sauvignon Blanc and 14% Sémillon, this wine has a soft entry, but the integrated minerality adds vibrancy to the richly layered palate with citrus and white peach flavours. The 14% portion of Sémillon adds weighty texture and suppleness to the wine.
The Constantia Saddle range is available exclusively at the Constantia Glen tasting room. The Constantia Saddle Red is available at R85, whilst the Constantia Saddle Rosé and Constantia Saddle White are R60 per bottle.
Known for exceptional, award winning cool climate Sauvignon Blanc and Bordeaux-style reds, Constantia Glen is open daily from 10h00 till 17h00 on week days and from 10h00 till 16h00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Look out for the Constantia Glen signs towards the top of Constantia Main road. Call 021 795 6100/5639 or e-mail sales@constantiaglen.com Visit www.constantiaglen.com, Facebook or follow @ConstantiaGlen on Twitter. The GPS co-ordinates are S 34º 0’39.6” E 18º 24’30.6”.
