Constantia

Constantia on the southern outskirts of Cape Town is the Cape's oldest wine region and one of its coolest. Its sweet white wines were once as famous in Europe as those of Hungary's Tokaj. The Klein Constantia winery has revived this style with a Vin de Constance Muscat, although it and Buitenverwachting also make a fine range of dry whites and Bordeaux-style reds. Sauvignon Blanc is particularly successful and intensely flavoured here, though the fruit flavours tend to be less ripe than typical New Zealand Sauvignon. Cape Point is an even cooler area to the south west.

Some favourite producers: Buitenverwachting, Constantia Glen, Constantia Uitsig, Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Steenberg.