The founding history goes back much further. In 1685, the first Dutch governor, Simon van der Stel, laid the foundation stone by planting 100,000 vines on the back of the striking mesa above the village of Constantia. In 1716 the Farm Constantia was divided into Klein (small) Constantia and Groot (big) Constantia.
The current vineyard size of 82 hectares has been achieved through replanting since 1982. Modern times began on Klein Constantia in 1979 when the Jooste family bought the farm. With the 1986 vintage, the first “Vin de Constance” of the new era was launched, and old successes were quickly built on.
Now in 2011 another change of ownership has taken place and the new investors Zdenek Bakala and Charles Harman are striving to establish Klein Constantia at the top of South Africa's wine list. The merger with the Anwilka winery in Stellenbosch in 2012 reinforces these ambitions, since its founders and shareholders Hubert de Boüard and Bruno Prats are now also on board.