Founded in 1685 by Simon van der?Stel, Groot Constantia holds the title of South Africa’s oldest wine estate, with over three centuries of uninterrupted winemaking nestled on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, overlooking False Bay.
What began as a visionary experiment in Cape viticulture evolved under Hendrik Cloete in the late 1700s into an internationally renowned producer of the famed “Constantia Wyn” sweet wines—favored by European royalty and lauded in classic literature.
Today managed by a nonprofit Trust, Groot Constantia operates as a working estate with around 95 hectares of vineyards, maintaining a balance of historic and contemporary cellar techniques.
Its wine portfolio remains true to Cape tradition, featuring elegant Bordeaux-style reds (Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet) and the iconic Grand Constance dessert wine, revived in 2003 using Muscat blended with a nod to its heritage
Groot Constantia is not merely a living museum—it’s a craft-focused vineyard.
It blends heritage soils and cooling maritime breezes into wines that capture both place and history, while its small-batch production is routinely recognized with top awards both locally and internationally
