2017 Constantia Glen THREE
Technical data
This delicious three-way blend was carefully crafted from grapes grown on the estate. It comprises 52% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and was matured for 17 months in 25% new-, 60% second fill- and 15% third fill French oak barrels. The wine was not fined, but only lightly filtered prior to bottling to subtly mellow the rich tannin structure. This astounding vintage shows the round, velvety texture that has become synonymous to the Constantia Glen THREE, but also has excellent structure and power. This means that it can be enjoyed in its youth, yet it will certainly age and develop admirably for another 10-15 years under correct cellaring conditions.
Alcohol: 14,5%
Residual sugar: 2,6 g/l
pH: 3,54
Titratable Acidity: 5,3 g/l
Volatile acidity: 0,64 g/l
Harvest summary by winemaker, Justin van Wyk
2017 was really a fantastic vintage for the red varieties at Constantia Glen and the wines from this vintage have garnered the same respect as those made in 2015. The flavour of the grapes at the time of picking was concentrated and intense with bright aromatics. Good winter rains in June and July of 2016 provided the ideal foundation for our dryland vineyards before they embarked on a notably dry growing season, stretching from September 2016 to March 2017, when the harvest commenced. Although dry, the summer period preceding the harvest was incredibly cool, which meant slow and long ripening that allowed for the slow accumulation of sugars, and grapes that retained phenomenal acidity despite fairly dry conditions in what was considered a particularly severe period of drought in the Cape. The estate vineyards showed remarkable buffering capacity during the drought and the 2017 vintage has delivered extremely elegant and refined red wines with great richness, texture, aromatic purity, and persistent, mouth-coating tannins. The wines also have great structure and acidity, which will allow for superlative bottle-ageing.
The wines also have great structure and acidity, which will allow for superlative bottle-ageing. The 2017 harvest commenced with the first blocks of Merlot and Malbec on 14 March 2017 and we picked for over 5 weeks until the last block of the Cabernet Sauvignon was processed into the winery on 13 April 2017.
Colour
Youthful in colour with a dark, deep red core unwinding into a bright and lively garnet rim.
Nose
Forthcoming nose with expressive red and black fruit flavours. Beyond these initial ripe fruit flavours, there is complex collection of savoury dried-herb flavours intermingled with lingering notes of white pepper, blackcurrant and cedar.
Palate
The dark fruit and distinct savoury notes on the nose follow effortlessly onto that first sip where elegant, velvety tannins grip the palate in a vibrant intensity of flavour. This incredible richness and concentration of fine-grain tannins is further echoed by an earthy minerality and the wine’s inherent freshness brings about a long, well-defined finish. This opulent, full-bodied wine possesses old world authenticity with its delicate herbal fynbos notes that reign in the powerful fruit flavours.