On Wednesday, 28 January, the historic Groot Constantia Estate hosted a pre-celebration event ahead of the annual Wine Harvest Commemorative Event.
Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine-producing farm and a flagship Cape Dutch heritage estate, hosts the Wine Harvest Commemorative Event each year on the first Thursday of February, a tradition deeply rooted in the country’s wine history.
A wine harvest journey
Guests were welcomed by Groot Constantia CEO, Jean Naudé, with a refreshing glass of Groot Constantia Brut Rosé and light snacks. Following a stroll through the vineyards, attendees were treated to a cellar tasting in the Cloete Cellar, where they enjoyed a glass of South Africa’s oldest wine cultivar, Grand Constance.
Grand Constance, the French translation of Groot Constantia, is famously known as the wine enjoyed by Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile on the island of Saint Helena from 1815 until his death in 1821. Bonaparte was not the only royal admirer of Groot Constantia’s wines; history records that Frederick the Great of Prussia and Louis Philippe, King of the French, were also supplied with wines from the estate.
A beautifully decorated harvest table beneath a sprawling tree and shaded umbrellas welcomed guests, media representatives, sponsors and key Groot Constantia role players.
Groot Constantia’s well-known Jonkershoek Restaurant showcased its culinary strengths with a memorable lunch served family-style. The meal was paired with a selection of Groot Constantia wines, including Pinotage. Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc, further elevating the harvest celebration experience.
Wine Harvest Commemorative Event
The Wine Harvest Commemorative Event officially marks the beginning of the harvest season in South Africa. This year, the industry celebrates 367 years since the first recorded harvest on 2 February 1659.
During the event, tribute is paid to individuals who have made significant contributions to the South African wine industry. Industry leaders are recognised in categories such as Visionary Leadership, Growing Inclusivity, Wine Advancement, Viticulture and Viniculture, and Wine Agri-Worker.
The occasion also includes a ceremonial blessing, symbolising hope for a fruitful and successful harvest season.
The terroir of the Western Cape
South Africa is the only wine-producing country in the world that knows the exact date of its wine origin, all thanks to a diary entry by Jan van Riebeeck on 2 February 1659, 367 years ago.
He wrote:
“Heeden is Goode loff van die Caepse druyven d’eerste mael wijn geparst.”
(“Today, praise be to God, wine was pressed for the first time from Cape grapes.”)
Long before 1659, millions of years ago, the formation of the Western Cape’s terroir created a habitat later recognised as one of the world’s six floral kingdoms. The Cape Floristic Region, commonly referred to as the Fynbos Floral Kingdom, is the smallest yet most diverse of them all.
This unique terroir hosts approximately 9 000 plant species, of which 70% are endemic to the Cape. By comparison, the United Kingdom is home to around 1 500 plant species in total, the same number found on Table Mountain alone.
Naudé explains with pride:
“We are blessed with a very special terroir hosting all these magnificent plants. The wine industry’s footprint fits 100% into this terroir.”
Conclusion
The South African wine industry continues to produce exceptional wines. “We redefined Chenin Blanc, and we have our very own Pinotage,” says Naudé.
Describing South Africa as a “melting pot of cultures”, he notes that the country’s wine routes form a vibrant tourism haven. For Naudé, the beauty of South Africa’s Cape Dutch culture lies in its enduring sense of place, shaped by history, craftsmanship and everyday lived experience.
He concludes, “They refer to us as the New World, but we are older than the Médoc and Cabernet Sauvignon.”
To attend the Wine Harvest Commemorative Event, visit sawineharvest.co.za or email [email protected].
