Constantia Glen
Constantia and the Western Cape of South Africa have a close historical association with wine production, with grapes being planted in the valley as early as 1685. Cradled between the slopes of the Constantiaberg, overlooking False Bay lies a pristine 60ha rural landscape named Glen Alpine that has been under its present ownership since the 1960's. In its recent past the farm has been transformed from rolling forest hills, to an Angus cattle stud, with history dictating its return to vineyard production. The Valley is predominantly renowned for the production of cool climate white wines due to the proximity of the vineyards to the maritime influences of nearby False Bay as well as the South facing slopes of Table Mountain. Constantia Glen however is an anomaly as the farm is uniquely located in the saddle of the Constantiaberg mountain thereby exposing the North facing red wine varieties to an additional few hours of late afternoon sunlight, allowing for optimum ripeness and fruit concentration.
Constantia Uitsig
Constantia Uitsig, known until 1940 as Constantia View, was the home of the Lategan family for five generations. Their ancestors arrived in this country in 1735.
Constantia Uitsig had been a portion of Simon van der Stel’s original grant of Groot Constantia. In 1894 Willem Lategan married Antoinette Bredell of Schoemanshoek, and with her inheritance he built the present homestead of Constantia Uitsig.
Eagles Nest
Eagles’ Nest is cradled in a secluded valley high up on the slopes of the historic Constantia mountain range, which forms part of the World Heritage Site, Table Mountain. The farm’s origins can be traced back to 1836 when it was used as a refreshment station between the area now known as Wynberg in the east, and the harbour of Hout Bay in the west. In order to make this journey, travellers had to cross the mountain pass, now known as Constantia Neck.
High Constantia Winery
Established in 1693, High Constantia Winery began its historical journey as part of the Dutch East India Company outpost, originally called Wittebomen - because of the abundance of silverleaf trees.
In 1806 a section of this land, bordering on Groot Constantia to the north was granted to William Duckett - the British Agricultural adviser. In 1813 this land was bought by Jacob van Renen, son of Sebastiaan Valentijn van Renen (Snr).
Sebastiaan Valentijn van Renen originally masterminded the wine-farming venture on High Constantia. Convinced that the soil would be of the same exceptional quality as Groot Constantia’s and that the climate of the hills would give the wine its particular flavours.
