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Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
2020 'Gouverneurs Reserve', Groot Constantia Wine Republic

2022 'Gouverneurs Reserve', Groot Constantia

Western Cape, South Africa

Groot Constantia is the oldest wine estate in South Africa and has a remarkable history, including having King Louis Philippe of France & Napoleon as customers.

Distinguished, brooding and beautifully composed, Gouverneurs Reserve opens with ripe plum, black cherry and blackberry, layered with dark chocolate, tobacco, cedar and subtle spice. The palate is full-bodied and commanding, with concentrated black fruit framed by firm, polished tannins and finely judged French oak. Fresh acidity brings definition and lift, keeping the wine poised rather than heavy, before a long, savoury finish of dark fruit, cocoa and tobacco.

Cabernet Franc leads the blend, bringing perfume and freshness, while Cabernet Sauvignon supplies structure and length. Merlot adds plushness and Petit Verdot contributes colour and intensity. Impressive now with rich food, but with the balance and architecture to develop beautifully in the cellar.

For when: A long dinner deserves a bottle with history and presence.

Pairs with: Rib of beef, roast lamb with garlic and rosemary, venison, beef Wellington, mushroom pie or mature hard cheeses.

Gouverneurs Reserve is Groot Constantia’s flagship red, named in recognition of the estate’s origins with Governor Simon van der Stel. It combines Bordeaux tradition with the distinctive freshness of Constantia, where granite-rich soils and cooling Atlantic breezes produce deeply flavoured wines with remarkable balance.

Whats in the bottle
38% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot

Notable Awards
94 points, Platter’s South African Wine Guide

£39.50 - £39.50
£39.50
£39.50 - £39.50
£39.50
Availability:
In stock

Groot Constantia is South Africa’s oldest wine-producing estate, dating back to 1685 when Governor Simon van der Stel selected land behind Table Mountain for its beauty and wine-growing potential. The estate became one of the foundations of the country’s commercial wine industry, with Constantia wines later sought after by European royalty and famously enjoyed by Napoleon during his exile on Saint Helena.

The vineyards lie on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, overlooking False Bay. Cooling Atlantic breezes moderate the warm Mediterranean climate, while a complex collection of granite-derived soils allows each variety to be matched carefully to its most suitable site. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot are particularly well suited to these conditions.

Today, Groot Constantia is managed by an independent non-profit trust established to protect the estate and its cultural heritage. It is also recognised as a WWF Conservation Champion for its commitment to responsible farming, conservation and careful management of natural resources. Winemaker Daniel Keulder oversees a range that respects the estate’s remarkable history while expressing Constantia with clarity and precision.

The 2022 Gouverneurs Reserve combines 38% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot. The grapes were hand-picked from selected estate vineyards throughout March, with each variety grown on carefully chosen granite, clay and sandstone-derived soils.

Fermentation took place in stainless-steel tanks with regular pump-overs. The wine remained on its skins for four weeks after fermentation to build colour, flavour and tannic structure, before undergoing malolactic fermentation in stainless steel.

The wine matured for 15 months in 225-litre French oak barrels, comprising 75% new oak, 15% second-fill and 10% third-fill barrels. The components were then blended and bottled.

Alcohol: 14.2%. Residual sugar: 2.4g/L. Total acidity: 5.8g/L. pH: 3.51.