Tasting Notes 

Megan van der Merwe, the brilliant young winemaker at Beau Constantia, set out to make the Stella with ‘the absolute intention to preserve the site that grew the fruit’. The Syrah and Viognier for this wine grow side by side on one of the farm’s lower lying slopes – both varietals are picked together, when the Syrah is ripe, meaning that the Viognier hangs on the vine until it is a little raisined, adding a rich honey-like component to the wine. 18 months in French oak (only 28% new) adds complexity to the wine.

Floral notes of violet, spicy black pepper, dried herbs and fresh red fruit – cherry and pomegranate – are held together by savoury fine tannin. Epic! 

Winery

Some two decades ago, raging wildfires swept through an area of forest high up on Constantia Nek, leaving the slopes scorched and bare. When the fire had subsided, what was left was a brilliant and unique spot for planting a vineyard; 350 metres above sea level, with cooling ocean breezes and steep sun-bathed hills and so, like a phoenix, Beau Constantia rose from the ashes.

Sensing opportunity, Pierre and Cecily Du Preez acquired the 22-hectare property in 2002. With thorough soil analysis guiding their efforts, the inaugural vineyards were planted in 2003 under the careful guidance of farm manager, Japie Bronn.

The journey to establish vineyards on these challenging slopes demanded patience and unwavering commitment. Today, Beau Constantia proudly boasts 11.47 hectares under vine, a testament to the perseverance and dedication of all involved. Within these vineyards thrive a diverse range of varietals, including Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz, and Petit Verdot, each meticulously nurtured to capture the unique essence of this extraordinary landscape.

This boutique wine farm with just over 11 hectares under vine has utterly spectacular views over the peninsula. Megan van der Merwe is the Head Winemaker, having taken over from Justin Van Wyk in 2021, after serving as Assistant Winemaker during his successful tenure. Megan believes in 'farming to perfection - just don't stuff it up in the cellar!'. This very talented winemaker is certainly one to watch.

Each of their releases is a tribute to a member of the family.

Accolades & Awards

• 93pts | Platter's 2023
• Tim Atkin 90pts

“Stella is a Côte Rôtie style co-fermentation of Syrah with 0.05% (yes, really) Viognier and 52% whole bunches. Very much a cool climate style, it has aromas of dried herbs and white pepper, savoury tannins, perfumed 28% new wood and bright red cherry and pomegranate fruit.”

Specifications

A really characterful, black-fruited blend, combining fresh acidity, savoury characters and lifted notes of mountain herbs.

Tasting Notes 

Pronounced aromas of black fruits with hints of cracked pepper, thyme and lavender. The palate has a concentration of bright blackberry and black cherry characters alongside fresh acidity. It's full-bodied and complex with well-balanced tannins and a long, savoury, herbal finish

Production

This wine is born in the free-draining chalk and clay soils of the slopes of Monte Armantes in the Ribota Valley of Calatayud, at 600-800 metres altitude. It is a blend of predominantly old vine Garnacha (70%) along with Syrah, Provechón (aka Bobal) and Mazuelo.This wine lends to a more savoury style due to the inclusion of 10% Provechón, extended maceration and the fermentation of Garnacha over Syrah skins.

Producer

El Escocés Volante is a project in Aragón, the work of Norrel Robertson MW and his family. His wine journey began in Edinburgh three decades ago and led him part-way around the world, to Portugal, Italy, France, Australia, Chile and New Zealand - before settling in Spain in 2003.

Inspired by the terroir and the sheer quality of the Garnacha he found there - this grape became his initial focus and drive, seeking out and retrieving old Garnacha vineyards. This ‘mission’ has extended to other varieties, including an old Macabeo vineyard, planted in 1969.

As well as working closely with a select group of local growers who share his philosophy, Norrel today owns 40 hectares of mainly old vine Garnacha (between 50 and 115 years old) along with other indigenous varieties such as Mazuelo (Carignan), Moristel, Macabeo, Garnacha Gris and Provechón. El Escocés Volante have also undertaken a programme of new plantings - to create the old vines of the future. Their vineyards are based around the towns of Villarroya de la Sierra, Cervera de la Cañada, Torralba, Aniñon and Torrijo de la Cañada, 650 - 1,000 metres above sea level.

Sustainability

El Escocés Volante are members of the Regenerative Viticulture Association in Spain. They have been organic in practice since 2014, and have recently started the certification process. They don't use pesticides, they maintain a cover crop during winter months and create their own biochar from vine cuttings. All of their vineyards are dry grown. In the winery their bottles are 88% recycled glass and they have been moving to lighter-weight versions.

Alan's Personal Tasting Note

"Just incredible.  I was expecting a lot from this wine and it certainly over delivers!  Fresh and fruity up front with a herbal and savoury battle going on in the background.  Complex, well balanced and full of beautiful flavours which belie the 14.5% alcohol.  But I guess it needs that alcohol to hold all these flavours.  With the herbs and savouriness it reminds me of a Southern French Garrigue Red  - but the fresh fruit wouldn't be in a Garrigue Red" June 2026

Specifications

Rich berries, supple tannins, beautifully balanced Romanian Syrah.

Tasting Notes

Purple red with violet reflections. Intense aromas of sour cherries, blueberries, black currants as well as floral aromas (violets). High in acidity, medium in body, the young and ripened tannins create a velvety wine with integrated alcohol and an intense ending.

Producer

Back in 1988, three families decided to invest in a winery in Romania, starting with 650 hectares of slightly unloved vineyards and a rusty, once state-owned winery.

Yet Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira, have turned the Cramele Recas Estate into the most successful winery in Romania. Recas are now recognised globally for their impressive scale and breadth of fascinating wines, including natural and orange wine from organic grapes. Despite the scale the emphasis is on making good wines that over-deliver, and as a result they’ve struck on a magic formula that has seen sales and demand boom. Vineyards are a combination of evolved plantings from 1447 and more recent planting, whilst the winery has seen significant investment and boasts state of the art facilities where innovation thrives. Recas are in every way a modern, dynamic winery, whose open minded approach and quality sets them apart … a winery you really can’t ignore.

Production

Produced from grapes which are parrt of the yield control strategy adopted in the vineyard. Syrah vines have a tendancy to overcrop which can lead to thin wines if not controlled. To manage this, they remove a proportion of the grapes soon after flowering, before the vine has started to swell them into grapes. The emphasis then goes into fully ripening the remaining grapes to ensure a generous flavour and a deep colour.

A simple stainless steel fermentation to preserve the flavour and keep the wine open and fresh.

  Specifications

Juicy, vibrant Romanian Syrah bursting with blackberry, violet and pepper spice.

Tasting Notes

Purple-red with violet reflections, good limpidity. Intense aromas of red fruits (sour cherries, blueberries, black currants), floral aromas (violets). Fresh acidity, medium body, supple tannins, a velvety wine with integrated alcohol and an long elegant finish. Perfect balance between rich flavours, modest alcohol and tannins.

Producer

Back in 1988, three families decided to invest in a winery in Romania, starting with 650 hectares of slightly unloved vineyards and a rusty, once state-owned winery.

Yet Englishman Philip Cox and his Romanian wife Elvira, have turned the Cramele Recas Estate into the most successful winery in Romania. Recas are now recognised globally for their impressive scale and breadth of fascinating wines, including natural and orange wine from organic grapes. Despite the scale the emphasis is on making good wines that over-deliver, and as a result they’ve struck on a magic formula that has seen sales and demand boom. Vineyards are a combination of evolved plantings from 1447 and more recent planting, whilst the winery has seen significant investment and boasts state of the art facilities where innovation thrives. Recas are in every way a modern, dynamic winery, whose open minded approach and quality sets them apart … a winery you really can’t ignore.

Production

The Shiraz for this wine is sourced from vines managed as part of a strict yield‑control strategy in the vineyard. As Shiraz naturally tends to over‑crop, unmanaged vines can produce thin, diluted wines. To prevent this, the team at Cramele Recaș removes a proportion of the developing grape clusters shortly after flowering, before the berries begin to swell. This early intervention focuses the vine’s energy on a smaller number of bunches. From that point onwards, vineyard work centres on achieving full, even ripeness, ensuring the remaining grapes develop generous flavour concentration and deep colour.

In the winery, the handling of Shiraz is intentionally straightforward, relying on simple, careful processes designed to preserve the natural character of the grapes. The aim is to maintain the variety’s inherent fruit expression and ensure the resulting wine remains open, approachable, and agreeable, without excessive manipulation or intervention

Specifications