Flying with eagles 10 December 2007

Two of Constantia's newest wineries rose phoenix-like from the raging fires of 2000. Angela Lloyd is impressed with their progress.

At first glance, it's difficult to see any link between Simon van der Stel and the great Cape Peninsula fire of 2000. Yet both have been influential in bringing to life two of Constantia's newest wine farms.

Over the years since the fire, the mountainside below the Vlakkenberg peak on the Constantiaberg has slowly been transformed: first the removal of all the fire debris, followed by tracks, terraces and, eventually, splashes of ordered greenery indicating the planting of vineyards.

Now some brighter green bands are clearly visible on the higher slopes; these windbreaks will eventually give way to more natural green, when tall grasses will protect the vines from the vicious south easterly wind. This elevated spot – around 450 metres – is part of Eagles' Nest.

Follow the contour, towards Constantia Nek, over a less-than attractive vibracrete wall, and the vine greenery intensifies, disappearing into the glen below Constantia Main Road. This is Glen Alpine, soon to be re-named Constantia Glen.

Both properties were part of Simon van der Stel's Constantia, which, according to the Eagles' Nest website, covered the size of `Amsterdam plus one morgen'. ‘An impressive area stretching from Steenberg to Wynberg and over the Nek to Llandudno,' elaborates Peter Stewart, Eagles' Nest director and son-in-law of owner Bill Mylrea.

Mylrea, an engineer originally from Harrismith in the Free State, purchased the farm in 1984 and started farming with table grapes, kiwi fruit and proteas. At the same time, his neighbours, the Allen family, long-time residents in Constantia, were farming prime Angus beef.

The devastating blaze proved a turning point for both owners; without it, there might be no Eagles' Nest or Constantia Glen wines today.

Establishing Eagles’ Nest

It requires only a short drive onto the Eagles' Nest mountainside to appreciate the effort required to establish the nearly 12 hectares of vineyard – if that's not too ambitious a term for the many small patches of vines scattered around the steep and rocky mountainside. Peter Stewart reckons their vines cost three times as much to set up and twice as much to run per hectare than any more conventional vineyard. Stone trenches running down the side of the twisting roads direct the sometimes monsoon-like downpours (over 1500mm of rain has fallen this year); nylon trellising with good elasticity counteracts the tendency for rows planted on the curve to pull to the middle and collapse in extreme wind or rain conditions; the tractor used for spraying runs on caterpillar tracks rather than wheels to cope with the gradients.

Re-planting the indigenous vegetation has also received top priority; above the vines, thousands of silver trees flash their shiny leaves in the wind, while all manner of fynbos and trees provide colour and varying microclimates in the areas unsuitable for vines.

Viognier, merlot and shiraz make up the majority plantings. Sauvignon blanc is a surprise omission but the original intention was for only classic reds offering a good return (Stewart is open about the aim of recovering at least some of the development expenses). The viognier was included to blend with the shiraz but that notion was abandoned and the decision made to go solo with each grape.

The practical, new cellar will be ‘wetted' this coming vintage, with Martin Meinert continuing as consultant winemaker, assisted by Steve Roche, the farm's viticulturist. Production will be capped at around 8500 cases, the entire output under screwcap: ‘There's too little to allow for any cork taint!' says Stewart.

The Viognier and Shiraz, which I've tasted for Platter since the maiden vintage, have impressive potential. Both show a lightness of touch – no overoaking or extraction – yet are well structured, with appealing freshness and fruit purity. The Merlot, new to me, is a revelation with its elegant, focused aromatic array of dark plums, berries and chocolate, its fresh, supple mouthfeel framed by the finest of tannins. A completely different style from the Merlot from Steenberg at the other end of the valley. For winelovers who appreciate elegance, the wines are worth their R100-odd price, and there can only be even better things to come.

Constantia Glen

The same promise applies to neighbouring Constantia Glen. This is the larger property, covering 64 hectares, with 28 under vine. By the 2008 harvest all will be bearing, though 40 percent will be first crop. Again the intention is to keep the range small: two wines, a white and a red, of ‘ultra-premium quality', says Jeremy Nel, one of the friends of owner/banker Gus Allen's with shares in the farm's wine business.

[Picture right: Looking from Constantia Glen through Constantia Nek to the back of
Table Mountain]

Red varieties, representing 80 percent of the vineyards, are made up of the Bordeaux quintet. It may surprise that both the Mylreas and Allens are hoping to establish their reputations with these grapes, given Constantia's uneven record with cabernet especially. But Karl Lambour reminds me that this mountainside has many different aspects. ‘Many are in fact west-facing, which catch the afternoon sun coming through the Nek, allowing the red grapes to ripen fully,' he explains.

The first vintage of the yet-to-be-named red wine currently resides in new oak barrels, with blending due to take place early next year. Lambour remains conscious of over-doing the new oak but since he refuses to buy used barrels, this is an unfortunate necessity. Vinification is as gentle and natural as possible: a lift system obviates pumping, a basket press extracts gentle tannins and, after using a neutral yeast strain this year, from 2008 the grapes will be left to conduct their own fermentation.

Guidance has also come from Dominique Hebrard, formerly owner/winemaker at Ch. Cheval Blanc, ‘who came out to smell the earth this year and is now sold on the idea of helping us'.

The first vintage is due for release in 2010; though Nel wouldn't be drawn on price, he didn't appear fazed at my suggestion that it might compare with that of Vergelegen V or Ernie Els.

Sauvignon Blanc, already into its third vintage, is Constantia Glen’s white wine – and more than upholds Constantia's enviable reputation with the variety. The 2006 wowed international audiences as well as local ones, taking gold on the International Wine Challenge and receiving 90 points from the Wine Spectator. The current 2007 was the first vinified by Lambour and inaugurated the new Constantia Glen cellar (the previous vintages were processed at Steenberg by well-versed sauvignon man, John Loubser). Vibrant, pure, weighty and with impressive persistence, it kept on song over two days, and might well have gone a third, had there been any wine left in the bottle!

Like the eagles and Steppe Buzzards that soar overhead, Eagles' Nest and Constantia Glen seem destined to be high flyers.