Welcome to the Western Cape Wineries - a kiwi's opinion blog

I originally set up this blog to help foreigners have an enjoyable experience when visiting the western cape wineries in South Africa.

I realised that it is very difficult for a tourist to choose where to go and which wineries to visit, when you have 600+ wine producers to choose from.

When I first moved to SA December 2010, my palate struggled to adjust to SA wine, but after living here for a while and after visiting over 100+ wine estates, I have found many wines which I really like and can highly recommend.

Admittingly, when you come from another country it is hard not to compare the wine in SA to what you are used to back home. However, once you realise they are not the same (they have their own characteristics due to the different soil, climate etc) and appreciate their wines for being SA wines, it will improve your opinion and experience of the wines immediately.

If you are staying in SA for a while, don't dispair, your palate will change, and you will soon find yourself liking SA wine over your home countries wine!!

I hope my blog will help wine lovers have an enjoyable wine experience while in SA.

Please note: I am not a wine connoisseur. The comments I write about the wine is mostly for my own benefit of having them on record.

Saturday, 18 June 2011

Constantia Uitsig

I went to Constantia Uitsig for a tasting a few weeks back and the experience was great!! I felt very welcome from the moment we walked in. We were seated at a nice long wooden table. There was a very big group at the other table, which made the room very exciting and fun.



The service was fantastic. I asked for a price list so I could make comments beside each wine, and as they didn't have any printed, they immediately went and photocopied one of the laminated ones. I was very impressed to see how quickly it was done.

So we started the tasting with the Methode Cap Classique (R245). I had tried this at the top 100 SA wine public tasting night and it was by far the best one on the night. Trying it again at the winery, I was convinced that this is by far the best MCC I have tasted yet!!! The next time I am celebrating something special, I will most definitely be celebrating with Constantia Uitsig's MCC!!!

We then had the Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (R90). This was also VERY nice. It had a really strong passionfruit smell to it, very similar to New Zealand's SB's. It not only smelt nice but it tasted fantastic!! It was smooth yet crisp, and had a very nice clean, crisp, tropical fruit flavour. It is very similar to a NZ SB, I just loved it!!!

Next we tried the Chardonnay Unwooded 2010 (R85), I also liked this wine. I have noticed I am starting to like Chardonnay's more and more these days. This Chardonnay was rounded, smooth, creamy, just gorgeous.

The last one I really liked was the Muscat d' Alexandrie (R285). This is a dessert wine, made from red honepoot grapes. It was soft, sweet, and yet refreshing. It had a light pink colour to it, it was really nice.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my wine tasting experience here and would highly recommend that you visit this winery. I see they have a restaurant there also, so hope to go back and try their food some time.

I am going back to NZ this year to see my family and I will definitely be taking a bottle of the MCC and SB for them to try. I can prove to them that SA does have fantastic wines!!
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  1. Chrissy15 March 2012 at 05:55

    I took a bottle of the MCC and SB 2010 to NZ in October last year. The MCC was not as good as I had remembered it to be and when we compared it with a NZ Methode Traditionalle it sadly got rated 2nd. It was not as smooth nor as tasty. BUT the Sauvignon Blanc was awesome!! So much flavour and it went perfectly with my pork belly with crackle, boy choy, mashed potato with an apple sauce. My mum and dad both really liked the SB also!! Will definitely buy the SB again!!!

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