Through the grapevine: Q&A with Higgo Jacobs, Strauss & Co fine wine auction curator

Just as SA’s finest wines are about to go under the hammer at Strauss & Co’s first Cape Town fine wine auction on September 14, we caught up with wine authority Higgo Jacobs on the vinous path ahead for his groundbreaking joint venture with the leading auction house and Wine Cellar fine wine merchants (WineCellar.co.za).

Tell us about the 20-year journey that led you to become partner and curator of Strauss & Co fine wine auctions.

I have always been drawn to the beauty and mystery that sets fine wines apart from the vast majority of wine that sits more comfortably in the fast-moving consumer goods category. Wines at the top end are shaped by seasons, place and people. This is what I have learnt from my time in the industry

I am clearly not alone in my conviction that SA’s finest wines belong in the dialogue of international fine wine, but unfortunately, commercially speaking, they are not.

After co-ordinating the selection process of the well-established Nederburg Auction since 2011, I became convinced that the establishment of a secondary market and promotion of the age-ability of our wines has a large role to play in unlocking our potential at the top end.

Numerous conversations with Roland Peens of Wine Cellar were had since 2016 with dreams of a new auction, and when I was serendipitously introduced to Frank Kilbourn and Strauss came on board there was no looking back.

Remarkable times for SA wine and for our secondary wine market. Share some insights?

Many international commentators have expressed that SA is the most exciting wineproducing country in the world at the moment. The reason for this is the camaraderie among young winemakers exploring and unlocking the potential of our diverse vineyard landscape on top of an established history dating back 350 years.

One has to be realistic and mention that this is not the easiest of times to launch a new platform in the luxury goods sector in SA, but when isolating the momentum purely in SA fine wine, the time is right to move now. Launching something like this has tremendous challenges, many unforeseen, but the natural fit of the partnership with Wine Cellar and Strauss & Co means we have the tools and expertise to adapt to challenges.

Ahead of the highly anticipated September 14 Strauss & Co fine wine auction set to be held at the Westin, please elaborate on “Fine Wine Week”?

In the lead-up to the auction we’ve put together a series of fine wine experiences running from September 10 to 13, which serve to highlight our most remarkable auction lots. Among these experiences is the Marquis Event, a hedonistic “First Growth Bordeaux” dinner at FYN restaurant, highlighting the 1998 First Growth lot. Master of wine Tim Atkin will host a public tasting of his 95+ point wines, poured by SA’s leading winemakers.

Wine Cellar director Roland and I will also present a fine wine workshop, and our leading SA winemaker Eben Sadie will host a vertical tasting of his iconic red, Columella. You can book for all of these experiences on the Wine Cellar website.

Tell us about one of your highlights on the Fine Wine Week calendar.

It’s incredibly exciting to be hosting award-winning wine writer and master of wine Tim Atkin at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town on September 13 from 3.30pm-7pm. Tim has more than 30 years of fine wine experience and will be sharing his “wines of the year” scoring 95+ points on the eve of the release of his seventh annual SA Report.

You’ll taste SA’s finest young wines, poured by the winemakers themselves, at R500 per person. Tim will also present his podium winners (winemaker of the year, young winemaker of the year, red and whites of the year, as well as best new discoveries and more) on the evening.

These wines are tomorrow’s icons and they tie in wonderfully with the Strauss fine wine auction, cataloguing rare vintages of SA’s best wines.

All of these experiences lead up to the first Cape Town Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auction. What can we expect?

Yes! After a successful June 8 Johannesburg auction, Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auctions will host its main fine wine auction for 2019 in Cape Town on September 14 from 10am-2pm. Not only will the sale include SA’s finest and rarest wines, there is also an incredible line-up of icons from Bordeaux and throughout Europe on offer.

Auctions can seem daunting and inaccessible. Is there a barrier to entry?

Even though we are passionate about fine wine, we would like to avoid the often stifling, affected culture that can surround wine. The Strauss auction is purely a business platform and is open to the public. Anyone interested in buying can register on the website, or on the day, and come and go as they please.

R500 the cost per person to taste Tim Atkin’s wines of the year at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town

10am the start time for the Strauss & Co fine wine auction on Saturday