Beau Constantia, Lucca 2022
If you’ve ever been to Cape Town, Beau Constantia likely needs no introduction to you. The view from the property, situated as high as possible on the Constantia Nek, is unmatched, it is home to one of the finest restaurants on the African continent and it makes drool worthy wines. What is not to love?
The 2022 vintage Lucca is a blend led by 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Franc. Where the 2021 spoke in a cooler register, the 2022 vintage steps forward with confident ripeness and immediacy.
The nose is vivid with black plum, mulberry, and cassis, while subtler threads of coffee bean and cedar recall its Bordeaux lineage. A single swirl unravels layers of graphite and warm spice, underscoring the depth of the warmer season.
On the palate, the redfruited drive of Constantia gives way to darker, fleshier tones, carried by tannins that are generous yet sinewy, lending a distinctive texture. Saline minerality remains true to site, though here it serves more as a grounding counterpoint to the vintage’s richness than as a source of tension. The finish is expansive and assured, its generosity balanced by poise, hinting at both immediate charm and a confident future in bottle.
£34.85
Constantia
Bordeaux Blend, Red Blend
LightFull Bodied
Description
2022 HARVEST by Winemaker Megan van der Merwe
2022 was marked by contrasts and extremes—a vintage that kept us on our toes from budbreak to bottling. A late start in spring due to unusually cold, wet soils gave way to vigorous growth in October, followed by intense rains, hailstorms, and wind that tested both vines and viticultural strategy. As summer arrived, we faced alternating heatwaves and unseasonal cold snaps, with erratic conditions persisting through veraison. These dynamic elements required vigilance and adaptability in the vineyard, from canopy management to weed control. 2022 was challenging, but challenges are what make a vintage unique and overcoming them is what makes a vintage meaningful.
VINIFICATION
The 2022 vintage Lucca is a blend led by 52% Merlot clone MO343 and 48% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were hand sorted down to berry level en route to tank. We employed the saignée technique, bleeding off a portion of fresh juice to enhance the skin-to-juice ratio and thereby increase the concentration of the remaining matrix by roughly 10%. Both batches spent five days cold soaking before they were allowed to warm up into natural fermentations. Fermentation temperatures were kept below 26 degrees Celsius. After another ten days on the skins, the wine was gravity drained and the skins basket-pressed to 52% new French oak 225L barriques, where we inoculated for malolactic fermentation. We then allowed the wine to further evolve for 18 months before a light filtration and the eventual bottling.
TASTING NOTE
Where the 2021 spoke in a cooler register, the 2022 vintage steps forward with confident ripeness and immediacy. The nose is vivid with black plum, mulberry, and cassis, while subtler threads of coffee bean and cedar recall its Bordeaux lineage. A single swirl unravels layers of graphite and warm spice, underscoring the depth of the warmer season. On the palate, the redfruited drive of Constantia gives way to darker, fleshier tones, carried by tannins that are generous yet sinewy, lending a distinctive texture. Saline minerality remains true to site, though here it serves more as a grounding counterpoint to the vintage’s richness than as a source of tension. The finish is expansive and assured, its generosity balanced by poise, hinting at both immediate charm and a confident future in bottle. Pair with grilled Springbok spiced with juniper, thyme and rooibos.
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
W.O. Constantia
ALC 14.54%
TA 5.70 g/l
VA 0.63 g/l
RS 3.2 g/l
PH 3,45
Additional information
| Alcohol vol | 14.5% |
|---|---|
| Grape | Bordeaux Blend, Red Blend |
| Origin | Constantia |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Wine Farm |
- Red Meat: Ideally suited for grilled or roasted red meat, such as fillet, ribeye, T-bone Florentina or grilled Springbok spiced with juniper, thyme and rooibos.
- Poultry: Pairs well with duck or slightly spicy red meat dishes.
- Herbs and Veggies: Matches well with dishes featuring fresh herbs (typical of Cab Franc) or rich vegetables like lentils.
- Pairing Notes: The wine's structural elegance, and refined tannins are designed to complement savoury, robust, and moderately intense flavors.
2 reviews for Beau Constantia, Lucca 2022
Location
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91 points | Tim Atkin MW Special South Africa Report 2025
“Made in what Megan van der Merwe calls a “year of extremes”, this is an ambitious Bordeaux style blend from the higher part of the Constantia Valley. Marrying Merlot and 42% Cabernet Franc, it has subtle coffee bean top notes from 52% new wood, a waft of fynbos and basil, cassis, liquorice and red cherry flavours and sinewy tannins. 2026-30″
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Silver Medal (93 points) | International Wine Challenge 2025
“Fresh blackcurrant, plum and rhubarb on the nose. Soft fine leathery tannins with an elegant long finish.”
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