WHAT A LOVELY place to relax at on a summer's day with a chilled glass of something good and interesting… We're talking Constantia Glen and their No. 2 blend. Again and again, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon have combined in delightful fashion under the label of ‘Constantia Glen Two'. For over a decade. The 96-point rating and one of the White Blend of the Year awards for the 2022 vintage in the 2025 edition of Platter's SA Wine Guide followed a similar score at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWC) and 95/100 at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), two of the biggest and most authoritative panel tastings held in the UK. Such have been the consistently good reviews for this beauty by top panels locally and internationally that it ranks among South Africa's 10 Best of the Best white blends in terms of the SA Wine Classification.
CONSTANTIA GLEN TWO 2022
WO Constantia. Sauvignon Blanc (62%) and Semillon (38%). Dryland (unirrigated) vines on the mountainous slopes of the estate near Constantia Nek, mostly planted between 2002 and 2004. Grapes hand-selected in the vineyards, the Semillon whole-bunch pressed, the Sauvignon destemmed, crushed and given 6 to 18 hours skin contact prior to pressing. The juice was barrel-fermented and matured on the lees (spent yeast sediment) for 12 months, mostly in 600L barrels, of which 10% were new oak and the remainder 2nd- to 6th-fill – mostly neutral French oak, 15% Austrian oak and 10% French Acacia. 10% of the wine matured in clay amphora. 15 894 bottles / 2649 cases.
Alc 14.2 | RS 1.6 | TA 6.3 | pH 3.3
From Platter's tasting note: Displays mandarin, lemongrass zest and quince before smoke, biscuit and flint. Outstanding balance between lively acidity and rounded mid-palate, endless finish. One for the ages.
IWSC tasting note: A symphony of fresh sage leaf, tomato, and kiwifruit aromas. A beautifully balanced palate of lime cordial and spice, with a delightfully slippery texture and good acidity. Concludes with impressive length and vibrant charm.
IWC tasting note: A textural style with gun powder and white pepper corn, pawpaw and lemon curd with a spicy, tangy acidity. Depth of flavour and complexity with wonderful balance. Long textural finish.
From Cellarmaster Justin van Wyk's Tasting Notes: Straw-like appearance with a light green hue. Delicate aromas of lime, green fig and white blossom. Concentration and depth. Citrussy freshness which balances with mouth-coating creamy texture. The Sauvignon Blanc contributes to the brightness and freshness of the wine. The Semillon contributes weight, richness and texture. An intriguing saline quality that lingers. Will gain even more complexity with age: bottle maturation possible for 10 to 15 years from harvest under ideal cellaring conditions.
Food Pairing Suggestion: Grilled kingklip with olive and caper salsa. Flammkuchen or pizza with Alpen speck or ham/bacon topping.
R350pb ex-cellar.
3 Responses
Brilliant Wine Constantia Glen.
Hi Germain. We use approximately 10-12% French Acacia on this wine. We like to experiment with different maturation vessels on our Sauvignon blanc and Semillon. I find that Acacia gives a floral note to the wine, as well was excellent texture and structure. It’s accentuates the freshness, and contributes a lot less of the typical “woody” lactone flavour. Best used in moderation however due to the high tannic (phenolic) impact of Acacia. The best Acacia barrels are second-, third- and fourth-fill Acacia barrels.
Please can you comment on the acacia barrels? Why they are using them?