Fresh, ripe and floral with a lively, elegant nose, the 2016 Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine is fresh and expressive, governing with a pure heart and is a masterclass in capturing freshness with aromas of golden raisin, white peach skin and apple purée. The palate displays fantastic weight and focus, making me crave pâté and cheeses as it glides to an elegant, regal finish that begs me back for more!

100% Muscat de Frontignan. This is the first vintage of Vin de Constance that will be sold through the Place de Bordeaux. The 2016 vintage was earlier than anticipated due to El Niño causing a warm and dry weather build-up to harvest, resulting in faster-ripening fruit. Still it yielded berries with concentrated flavours and well-balanced acidity. Fortunately, in the Constantia Valley the winery received enough rainfall, even during the driest of seasons, and was safeguarded with sufficient moisture in the soils, unlike some warmer regions in the country. The property was also protected from the extreme heat spikes by their proximity to the ocean, experiencing predominantly cool night-time temperatures allowing for the perfect and slow raisining conditions for the development of ripeness while retaining a good natural acidity. Harvest from 25 February to 22 March. Sweet and fragrant on the nose. Layers of honey, acacia, sultana and earthy spices. The palate is sweet but not remotely cloying, with bright acidity and great intensity of fruit and marmalade. Harmonious and intense, with superb purity and vibrancy. Mellow raisined notes are lifted by floral orange blossom, cinnamon and sweet vanilla spice. Unerring and long on the finish, superb! (TP)

Mid-deep gold. Luscious nose of dried apricots, marmalade and cinnamon, in a rich, bold style. The palate offers more elegance, with floral notes, and a core of acidity that freshens and elevates it. Long, with a touch of citrus-rind bitterness at the finish. A comparatively ‘big’, bumptious, forward Vin de Constance. (TJ)

100% Muscat de Frontignan. For vintage conditions, see Tom Parker MW's note on the same wine . Strong mamalade and candied lime-peel nose with something floral – not the nobility of a botrytised wine. But then sweet and a little smoky. Certainly very sweet, arguably a tad too sweet, and a bit chewy on the end. I look forward to reading Malu Lambert’s account of a vertical tasting of this wine. My drink dates may be way out. (JR)