Want to take home a little piece of history tonight? Want to try something from a property that once catered to kings and conquerors? Let me tell you a little about Groot Constantia in the Western Cape of South Africa, which we were fortunate enough to visit last year.

Groot Constantia was where fine wine really began in South Africa. Grapevines had been planted on the Cape when the first Europeans settled in South Africa in 1652, but they did not survive. Vines planted in 1656 produced South Africa’s first wine in 1659. Constantia came into the picture in 1685 when Simon van der Stel, the Cape’s first governor, received a large land grant and founded the Constantia wine estate. By 1692 the wines were noted for their high quality, and by 1699 the Constantia wines were exported to Europe where they were to achieve the legendary acclaim usually only granted to the great wine properties of France. It became the wine of kings and conquerors! It is said that Napoleon Bonaparte’s last wish before his death was to be served a glass of Constantia wine.

Constantia itself lies south of Cape Town on the southeast slope of the magnificent Table Mountain, facing toward False Bay. The major white grapes are sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscat; the major red grapes--cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz. Your ABC wine team had the opportunity to walk around and take in the beauty and history of the place, as well as admire the stunning Cape Dutch architecture. I must say the wines certainly retained a good deal of their legendary status!

So let’s say a few words about Groot Constantia Shiraz 2010, now available at your local ABC store. It’s a powerful yet elegant wine with aromas of smoky dark fruits, white and black pepper and clove spices and a hint of cedar. Intense fruit flavors follow through, notably Morello cherry with a touch of mint, complemented by firm tannins and well-balanced oak. This vintage won top honors at the 2013  Top 100 South African Wine Competition.

So why not take home a little piece of history tonight? Just throw a few kudo steaks wrapped in bacon on the grill and open up a bottle of Groot Constantia Shiraz 2010. You can’t argue with history!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Supervisor

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