Vin de Constance 2020

Bright medium-gold hue with a focused and intense nose layered with honeysuckle, apricot, citrus, honey and marmalade. A hint of mineral, too. Really pure and tangy with a luscious palate balanced by intense citrusy flavors and natural acidity that is beautifully chiselled to the palate. Long and effortless. Consistently great muscat here. Drinkable now if you love the vibrancy of it, but one could keep this for a decade or two.

Rich rose gold in colour, just so much interest and depth on the aromatics. I always look forward to tasting this wine, and it never seems to disappoint. Dried apricot, caramel, patisserie, peach pit, sage, cardamon, sweet fleshy nectarine. This was a balanced vintage that was warm but not with the drought conditions of 2019, but it has plenty of sun-sweetened character, with lime zest twisting through the raising the tension and energy. Tasted twice. Matthew Day winemaker.

Classic and expressive with seductive aromas of marmalade and honeysuckle, the 2020 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is fresh, balanced and complex, offering a delightful lift from 60% new oak. Clocking in at 13.5% alcohol, the palate displays a harmonious balance between fruit sweetness and energetic acidity. It has layers of complexity with impeccable breadth and depth. It may be one of the finest expressions of Vin de Constance to date, and it ends with succulent flavors of apricots, saffron, quince paste and sweet candied citrus tones over the long, ever-evolving finish. Aged for a year and a half in 50% new Hungarian and French oak barrels, followed by an additional year and a half of large format wooden foudre, only the best lots end up being selected for the final blend. Bravo! Run, don’t walk to buy this world-class sweet wine to put in your cellar!

Pale gold in colour with a sweet, grapey, floral nose. The palate is silky, pristine and sweet. Crystallised ginger, honeysuckle and maple come through. A generous but perfectly balanced vintage. Long, and very youthful. Should age well.

Highly floral and concentrated nose full of marmalade, orange zest, toasted caramel patisserie, orange blossom, a Tutti Fruitti element and some soft oak touches too. Thick and viscous, comforting and deep with a weighty, sugary texture offset by serious spiced and toasted edges that give this angles and a taught frame. Serious, not so easy and generous, more dense and concentrated, this feels well built and purposeful. The sweetness (butterscotch, thick creamy lemon and apricot yoghurt and hints of honey) is countered by a delicious citrus zestiness and bitter orange touches. I adore the combination of flavours and this feels expertly made with precision, freshness and clarity. Lots to enjoy and think about here with a satisfying, long, mineral grip on the finish. From a challenging 2020 vintage with small, concentrated berries and a reduced crop. 174g/l residual sugar. 3.92pH. 6.3g/l total acidity. Ageing one and a half years in 50% new, 500l Hungarian and French oak barrels followed by the same time in large-format wooden foudre. Barrels are then selected with the best being chosen for the final blend. Winemaker Matthew Day.

This bold sweetie’s tight mesh and mouthwatering structure are swathed in gossamer texture, lending an overall sense of finesse as this carries fruit flavors of ripe apricot, nectarine and candied pink grapefruit, with rich notes of biscuit and green almond, plus accents of chai, jasmine and spun honey. Long and harmonious on the rich and fragrant finish. -- Non-blind Vin de Constance vertical (February 2024). Drink now through 2045. 500 cases imported.