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The Juliet Cullinan Wine Connoisseur’s Awards identify the highlights at the Juliet Cullinan Standard Bank Wine Festivals held in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

As tradition has it due to the late ripening of our grapes, the Groot Constantia harvest for 2006 extended well into April.

The Gouverneurs Reserve, Groot Constantia’s flagship wine was recently judged BEST RED Wine at this year’s prestigious Swiss International Airline Awards held at the Cellars Hohenhort.

Cape Town Big 6, of which the Constantia Vineyards (Groot Constantia as well as our neighbouring farms) are part of, has won the INDABA 2006 “GOLD” award for the Best Stand.

Nearly half of the 156 wines selected for the 32nd Nederburg Auction have already run the gauntlet at local and international wine shows, as well as attaining coveted listings on airlines or five-star ratings in respected wine guides such as the John Platter.

Harvest in Darling and Robertson is practically over, but Constantia and Vredendal wineries still have a way to go, writes Kim Maxwell.

With ABSA Top Ten Competition sponsor ABSA bank now owned by UK banking giant Barclays - recently returned to SA after an apartheid-era retreat - it made good political sense to include foreign judges this year. Not that this was given as the reason.

This year, the year of Groot Constantia’s 320th anniversary, the current team certainly continued the Estate’s reputation as a place where hospitality and social grace are still as important as it was all those centuries ago.

This year Groot Constantia celebrated its 320th birthday which was attended by dignitaries from national and local government, business people,media and people in the wine industry.

In the year of its 320th anniversary, the Groot Constantia Estate has reintroduced a modern version of the natural sweet wine that made Groot Constantia world-famous some 200 year’s ago.