Vin de Constance 2018

Provenance

Single-Owner Private Collection

Critics Ratings

"Made from raisined Muscat de Frontignan grapes, only the 1997 and 2011 releases had a little botrytis, this is the latest in a run of world-class releases of Vin de Constance. Showing remarkable purity and elegance, despite the heat of 2018, it has 60% new wood, 172 grams of sugar, fine balance, racy acidity and flavours of patisserie, tangerine and pear. The essence of Muscat." - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2021, 97/100 (Sep 2021)

"The 2018 Vin de Constance was picked over 60 days, the second most prolonged picking since the maiden 1986 vintage. It was lightly pressed into 500-liter barrels for alcoholic fermentation, which can take up to six months, then matured on the gross lees in 60% new oak and acacia barrels. This vintage contains 172g/L residual sugar and 6.2g/L total acidity. It presents a vibrant, effervescent bouquet of freshly sliced grapefruit, fresh fig and citrus fruit, all penetrating, vivacious and tensile. The palate is beautifully balanced with a fine bead of acidity, impressive weight and notes of grapefruit and orange zest plus hints of stem ginger. The spiciness is accentuated toward the finish. Another outstanding Vin de Constance courtesy of winemaker Matt Day." - Neal Martin, Vinous, 96/100 (Nov 2021)

"Bright, floral and fresh, the 2018 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine presents a nose full of focused fruits with power and precision while possessing a beautiful balance of flowers and stone fruit aromas. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is not overly sweet but harmonious and seductively pleasurable. Bright acidity paired with a perfect sparring partner of succulent sweetness duel for attention before ending with a long, ever-evolving, spicy finish that has me coming back for more. I'm not spitting any of this out." - Anthony Mueller, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96/100 (Dec 2023)

"Pale-mid gold. Very floral nose of acacia and orange blossom, with creamy apricot notes and deftly integrated baking-spice notes from the oak maturation. Sweet, rich palate entry, with apricot and orange, but the floral notes kick in and, with a little bit of pithy chew, a sense of dryness does build. Lovely poise, though a shade behind the 2017 in finesse. Still a rather lovely wine, either way!" - Tim Jackson MW, JancisRobinson.com, 17.5/20 (Jan 2022)