The Corkless Mind

Tag: Constantia

How to experience Groot Constantia’s visitor’s route

Before the pandemic hit, Groot Constantia saw over 400 000 visitors per annum. Today the number of tourists both local and international are starting to pick up and the estate is abuzz with excitement again. While the estate is renowned for award-winning wines and of course has
the prestigious title of one of South Africa’s oldest working wine estates, many are unaware that there is much more to explore at Groot Constantia.

What is the Visitor’s Route?

Groot Constantia’s Visitor’s Route is a result of years of hard work and extensive planning. The attraction is a slightly recent addition to the estate which is a family-friendly self-guided tour, which follows a specially designed circular route through Groot Constantia’s key attractions.
Starting at the original Manor house, the tour takes guests to the famed Cloete Cellar, the original wine production cellar from 1791, and the birthplace of Grand Constance – the original sweet wines of Constantia that are famed as being Napoleon’s tipple of choice – ordering 30 bottles a month during his exile on St Helena Island. The Cloete Cellar now houses a wine museum and tasting room and here one can enjoy a wine tasting with your own Spiegelau
crystal glass to take home as a special keepsake. From there, guests then head over to the modern Production Cellar, which is the departure point for the self-guided cellar and vineyard audio tours.”

The birthplace of wine tourism

Fun fact: Wine Tourism was originally initiated at Groot Constantia in the 1700s, with the first wine route directions drawn up for the benefit of visitors in that era. Over 300 years later and the estate continues to move from strength to strength and the Visitors Route is a natural extension, and a necessary step to hone its tourism offerings. The Visitor’s route is a monument not only to Groot Constantia but to South African wine production and its global fame.

(Pictured here is Jean Naudé, CEO of Groot Constantia explaining the significance of the first wine route directions and the first advertisement for the Constantia wine route).

What to do after the Visitor’s Route?

Sip and Savour
Visit one or all three of the estate’s tasting rooms (the Cloete Cellar included in the Visitor’s route) to get a taste of greatness and history.

Dine with Groot Constantia Wine

The famed estate plays host to two fabulous restaurants, namely Jonkershuis and Simon’s. Both have cozy indoor spaces to dine in or choose an alfresco set up to enjoy the beautiful view of the Constantia valley. The Jonkershuis eatery is known for its fresh and seasonal diverse range of local cuisine on offer – which never misses a beat! Simon’s has a more casual setup and is now under new management with new offerings on hand. Both restaurants are certainly a culinary experience.

For more information visit http://www.grootconstantia.co.za or connect with Groot Constantia via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GrootConstantia. To make a reservation at Jonkershuis contact+27 21 794-6255, or reservations@jhuis.co.za.

To book at Simon’s contact
+27 21 794-1143 or email info@simons.co.za.

Although pre-booking is not necessary for the Visitors Route Experience, tickets can be pre-purchased from Webtickets (https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1465426753). Alternatively, just arrive and purchase your ticket directly from Groot Constantia on the day. A ticket, which costs R95, provides access to the Manor House and Museum, the Cloete Cellar and Museum, a souvenir Spiegelau crystal wine glass, a wine tasting, and two audio walking tours.

Take a step back into time and experience the visitor’s route this coming weekend.

August 3, 2022
Groot Constantia harnesses people-power to go solar with Sun Exchange
Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine-producing farm and a world-renowned tourist destination, has partnered with Sun Exchange (www.sunexchange.com), an innovative solar leasing platform, to harness the power of community and go solar. A crowdsale for a 165 kilowatt (kW) solar plant to power Groot Constantia’s winemaking facilities and restaurants is now being hosted on the Sun Exchange platform. Through this crowd sale, people across South Africa and the globe can easily buy solar cells for R64.00 per cell, which will be installed in the solar plant that will power Groot Constantia. Once the 43,448 available solar cells are sold, the solar plant is built and starts generating electricity. Via the Sun Exchange platform, Groot Constantia will pay solar cell owners for the clean energy they produce for 20 years. The solar project crowd sale will run throughout the month of July until all solar cells sell out.

The Sun Exchange model enables Groot Constantia to access solar power at a rate lower than standard utility rates, while solar cell owners earn a stream of solar-powered income and support the estate’s transition to clean energy. The solar plant will help avoid an estimated 4,700 tonnes of carbon emissions in its lifetime. “For centuries, Groot Constantia has been a place where people from across South Africa and the world come together to enjoy great wine and South Africa’s heritage and natural beauty. Now, we’re looking to the future and working with Sun Exchange to bring together a global community to be part of our solar project. This enables us to protect and conserve that heritage and natural beauty,” said Jean Naudé, CEO, of Groot Constantia. Groot Constantia is committed to conserving the environment in which it operates, and on which it relies, and has a long history of implementing initiatives to ensure it does no harm through its farming practices.

The estate has invested significant time and resources on refining responsible production practices by spearheading innovations in water, energy efficiency and climate adaptation, and integrated environmental management systems. Its transition to solar power is the next step in its commitment to conservation. “Groot Constantia is a cultural and historical icon and an environmental leader. We’re honoured to have Sun Exchange and our global community be part of their solar power journey,” said Abraham Cambridge, CEO, of Sun Exchange. “This project will set a precedent across South Africa’s wine and tourism industries, demonstrating that transitioning away from fossil fuels is the best decision not only from a climate perspective but also financially.”

Since its founding in 2015, Sun Exchange has enabled solar power for more than 60 businesses, farms, schools and other organisations in Southern Africa. Its solar projects have generated more than 12 Gigawatt-hours of clean energy, avoiding more than 12,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. Thousands of people from 180 countries worldwide use the Sun Exchange platform to buy and own solar cells, produce clean electricity and earn with purpose. The Sun Exchange vision is a world where all people and organisations can harness affordable clean energy to ensure a healthy planet for future generations.

Media Contacts
- Sun Exchange – Salomé Bronkhorst, salome.bronkhorst@thesunexchange.com, +27
  (0)79-388-2114 (www.sunexchange.com)
- Groot Constantia (www.grootconstantia.co.za) – Lila Jutzen, lila.jutzen@grootconstantia.co.za, +27 (0)78-275 -4898
July 26, 2022
Early birthday celebrations with SA’S oldest wine-producing farm

On the 13th of July, Cape Town’s iconic Groot Constantia Estate celebrates its 337th birthday, cementing its status as the oldest wine-producing farm in South Africa – and there is good reason to start celebrating early. Adding to the estate’s reputation of consistent quality is its much-lauded flagship wine, Grand Constance, which recently received the National Wine Challenge Special Award for Wine Consistency and the Grand Cru ‘Best in Class’ Award.

Groot Constantia’s world-famous wine continues to shine as it claims the spot with one of three wines in South Africa which have achieved more than seven top 100 positions annually, with Grand Constance leading the charge with 11 wins over a period of 12 years. To this day, Grand Constance undeniably remains the grand dame of sweet wines.

Hundreds of years ago, the wine produced at Groot Constantia began to receive international acclaim for its superior quality, and emperors and kings – such as Frederick the Great of Prussia, Napoleon and Louis Philippe (King of the French) – were all known to be great lovers of Groot Constantia wines (translated Grand Constance into the French) which also means“consistency”.

“The iconic Grand Constance wine that we produce at Groot Constantia is in effect the essence of the Estate. We are immensely proud of our Grand Constance, and humbled to be able to continue to produce this wine, and for it to consistently bring home awards. It is a 300-year-old legacy that we are custodians of, and the team strives to ensure that we interpret and honour it meticulously so that this special wine can continue to be appreciated on a world stage,” says Groot Constantia winemaker, Boela Gerber.

As a provincial heritage site and a living museum, Groot Constantia has always been one of Cape Town’s most important destinations and is a member of the Cape Town Big 6 tourist attractions. It is not hard to see why the estate is a favourite for locals and visitors alike – and has been for centuries.

Groot Constantia has been welcoming visitors to the estate for more than 300 years and has a long track record as a must-visit location in the Cape. In fact, 160 years ago, JP Cloete (the then owner of Groot Constantia), produced one of the earliest known tourist attraction adverts in South Africa, marketing Groot Constantia and giving detailed directions to the estate – making it the first-ever wine route map in SA. The advert also affirms Groot Constantia’s standing as the original source of the iconic Constantia Wines that have been celebrated across the world.

For the modern-day visitor – be it wine lovers, fun-seeking families, tourists, social explorers, or anyone looking for a memorable and unique location in the Cape – Groot Constantia offers a wonderful day out, immersed in a rich sense of history and wine culture, accompanied by gorgeous views and outdoor spaces, exceptional wines, delicious food and fun for the whole family.

The Estate offers a Visitors Route Experience that allows you to walk back in time by following a specially designed circular route that takes visitors to the historical key attractions at Groot Constantia. The original Manor House at Groot Constantia (which is an Iziko Museum) is the starting point for the Visitors Route Experience. After this, guests make their way to the famed Cloete Cellar, which is the original wine production cellar from 1791. This historic cellar was where the famous Grand Constance wine was produced, and now the cellar houses a museum and unique tasting room. Old carriages, winemaking memorabilia and a collection of old Grand Constance bottles sourced from all over the world are among the things to see in the Cloete Cellar Museum. After exploring the modern production cellar for a tour and wine tasting, visitors are then welcome to venture into the vineyards for the self-guided audio Vineyard Tour.

Groot Constantia has two top restaurants, Jonkershuis and Simon’s. Both have children’s menus and outdoor dining options. There is also free Wi-Fi at Groot Constantia, which covers an extensive area – including all of the buildings – making the enjoyment and exploration of the estate that much more fun as guests can share their experiences in real-time with friends and family across the world.

The estate is inviting all wine lovers and casual visitors to come and enjoy the 337-year-old Groot Constantia celebratory experience.

For more information visit www.grootconstantia.co.za or connect with Groot Constantia via social media on
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @GrootConstantia.

*Sponsored post*

July 1, 2022
A Taste of Spring at FOXCROFT – A Review

** This review was made possible thanks to FOXCROFT for hosting me**

It’s been three years since Foxcroft in Constantia burst onto the Cape Town restaurant scene and since then it has become a regular favourite with locals as well as international guests visiting the picturesque Constantia Valley to sample the best in food and wine. Head chef Glen Williams believes in a carefully structured farm to table approach, utilizing the freshest seasonal ingredients and showcasing them on the plate to deliver a finessed flavourful experience. I was honoured to be invited to review their spring menu which runs until the 15 December, the special runs from Monday to Sunday (R345 for four courses or R595 with wine pairing). You can also treat yourself to an exceptional lunch experience by booking the tasting menu at lunch at a reduced price of R595 or R920 with wine pairing, also until 15 December 2019.

My dear friend Megan from Authentic Blog and I chose to sample the wine pairing menu. Every dish was thoughtfully constructed with each wine to complement each other perfectly. Their love of wine is certainly reflected in the successful winemaker’s dinner series collaborations, where diners enjoy a five-course chef’s menu paired with a first-class cellar’s hand-picked wines. The wine list is fresh and exciting, with a few Swartland gems in the mix.

They import as little as possible and use small-scale, sustainable, ethical and traceable suppliers wherever possible. The menu starts with the bread course, which was a pillowy light focaccia with pesto in the center. If there wasn’t all four courses that followed I would happily stuff my face with more of that! Starters followed with an utterly delicious Yellowfin tuna dish, that consisted of salsa macha, whipped avocado, jalapeno, and a crispy tostada for texture or in my case to make your own little taco! This was all paired with Silvervis’ Smiley Chenin Blanc from the marvelous Swartland region. We were treated by chef Glen, to a taster of the chicken ballotine, also on the menu as a first course. The chicken ballotine was beautifully plated with liver parfait, nectarine segments, mushroom and chunks of toasted brioche croutons for texture.

My incessant need for all things shellfish ensured I chose the west-coast mussels for the second course. Neatly gathered together in a bowl, the mussels together with a few slivers of pickled squid, succotash and mayu oil. I stood and filmed with bated breath as our amazing server Lindsay, poured the mussel chowder into the bowl to make a delicious and beautiful meal. Paired with a light and fruity 2018 Arendsig Chardonnay.

Oak Valley Pork, a beautifully plated meal of Kimchi, charred cabbage with spicy peanuts and bite-sized cubes of pork crackling. Every morsel on the plate I would eat a thousand times over! Incredibly tasty and paired with an equally delicious and well-rounded 2018 Thorne & Daughters Copper Pot.

And now for my favourite course, dessert! Simply titled, yoghurt. My dessert was certainly inspiring of spring and how fresh and flowery the season is. Cradled in the centre of an egg-shaped bowl, was green apple jelly spheres, litchi granita, beautifully decorated with elderflowers and geranium. Paired with a glass of 2019 “The Freshman” Sauvignon Blanc.

The food, the service, and the wine were absolutely spectacular. For the price of R595, the experience was such a real treat! Chef Glen and team show such a real passion for fine food and attention to detail, its easy to see and taste why they are ranked as an Eat Out eatery and You really don’t want to miss out on this fantastic Spring special. Make your booking before the 15th of December: https://www.foxcroft.co.za/book-online

Massive thanks to the amazing FOXCROFT Team for graciously hosting us and treating us like such royalty! We cannot wait to be back again.

November 19, 2019