Cape Town - Diversity and innovative winemaking reaped rewards at the 33rd Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction at Spier in the Stellenbosch Winelands over the weekend, with total sales exceeding R13.2m - just under last year’s record breaking auction - and a new record price for a case of wine.
Danie Steytler’s Kaapzicht Estate The Ultimate Vision 2015 fetched the highest price ever recorded of R16 600 for a 6-bottle case, his last auction wine before he retires as a producing member of the Guild. The highest bid of R7 000 for a white wine went to Kevin Grant’s Ataraxia Under the Gavel Chardonnay 2016.
Other top selling red wines included Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2015 at R12 000, Leeu Passant Old Vines Cinsault 2015 at R10 400, with Beyerskloof CWG Traildust Pinotage 2015 and Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2014 both on R9 000.
Top achieving white wines included The Love Boat White 2016 from Adi Badenhorst and Duncan Savage and the Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2016 both on R5 600, with Waterford Estate ‘1988 Kept Aside’ Chardonnay 2016 on R5 200.
The highest price for the only Méthode Cap Classique on auction, Silverthorn Big Dog III 2012, was R5 200 for a case.
The hospitality industry was well represented among the top buyers with Tsogo Sun taking pole position for the fourth consecutive year with total purchases of almost R1.7m, followed by Restaurant Mosaic, Grootbos, Singita and Signature Restaurant.
Auction buyers showed great generosity again this year, supporting the charity auction in aid of the Guild’s Protégé Programme for the development of talented young winemakers and viticulturists through the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust.
This year’s charity item, 44 magnum 1.5 litre bottles of wine from all the Guild members who had a wine on auction, was purchased for R140 000 by Ed Zeeman of Morukuru Family. In addition, the silent auction raised R282 900 on the day.
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