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Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Klein Constantia, Sweet Wines from South Africa

Look at any travel guide or advertisement for Singapore and sooner or later you will see the landmark triple towers of Marina Bay Sands joined across the top by the rooftop containing the infinity swimming pool overlooking the island. I took the fast, efficient and modern MRT to Bayfront underground station and followinfg signs came out right beside the convention centre adjacent to the hotel. After the wine tasting event featuring many producers from France, South America and Spain, we focused on Masterclasses on specific wines.I am now a convert to Klein Constantia.  Klein means small (in German, which I am learning, as well as related languages such as Dutch) but they are big in my eyes. We were treated to an illustrated talk by Vice Chairman and partner Hans Astrom. He told us that his area is blessed with rain every month, no need to irrigate. The wind can be your worst enemy but also your best friend when it blows away the morning mist. Where is Klein Constantia? I have been to South Africa but went there before wine and food became my family's passion and business. The slides showed us the back of Soth Africa's landmark Table Mountain(been there, done that!) Which is visible from the vineyard area. The vineyards are on steep slopes. The vines are bush vines. They make my beloved heavenly  sweet wines as well as the dry wines which my husband prefers. They follow the modern trend for being old fashioned organic. They have a hundred workers who are up at 4 a.m. Long before most people are up for work they are picking the grapes for the wine which you can enjoy with dinner after work. In their enterprise nothing is wasted.everything thrown away is turned into carbon pellets for re-use. I tasted white wines from 2001, 2014, 2016 and 2018. I was not so enamoured with the 2019 which did not have the magic sweetness of the others.
Africa

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