Critics Ratings

'The first commercially sold vintage of the modern era is superb and rigid. Raisined fruit softness, with salted caramels and coffee. The creamy palate is laced with incredible lasting acidity, culminating in a savoury tail – like a sweet Oloroso.’ – Higgo Jacobs 2020, 96/100

‘1986, limited bottling of unfortified replica of fabled 18th century dessert Constantias of Hendrick Cloete. Made every year at Klein Constantia since 1986 from muscat de frontignan – same clone selection as originally imported from western France by Governor Jan van Riebeeck in 1656. 1987 deeper coloured than 1986, more alcoholic at 15% cf. 14%, more mellifluous, more amply endowed with range of apricot-honey scents. Small barrel-aged, in newer oak than in historic bottlings. In Cloete’s day, stems of bunches twisted when ripe and left to hang on vine, sugar and flavour concentration intensified by evaporation, leading to natural alcohols of up to 17%. Gower gets same result by halving the crop. – Platter’s SA Wine Guide (1992)

‘Wonderfully balanced, with limey freshness, nutty complexity and dabs of tropical fruit. A true legend that is still very much alive today.’ – Roland Peens, 96 points (2018)

Provenance

Private Seller.