Man behind the auctioneer

ROLAND PEENS: A FINE WINE MERCHANT WITH A DESIRE TO GIVE BACK TO SOCIETY

Ironically, it was Tassenberg that got him started.

Last year, the annual Nederburg Auction generated R7.5 million in sales for 75 producers. It’s understandable then that there was so much excitement for the 43rd edition of SA’s longest running fine wine auction that took place on September 15 and 16.

There’s an art to being highly dedicated bon vivants as well as hard workers and Wine Cellar fine wine merchants Roland Peens and James Pietersen have got that nailed.

As well as providing top South African and international fine wine with expert advice to private customers, Wine Cellar is also the largest private wine storage facility in Africa, managing 25 000 cases at any given time.

Their penchant for seeking out delicious wines to suit any pocket is the stuff of wine enthusiasts’ dreams and their extensive wine list boasts some of the finest and rarest vintages in the land, at just a click away.

Wine Cellar is able to offer the largest allocations of South Africa’s most sought-after wines thanks to close connections to South Africa’s best wine producers and is often the first to release to market.

And with 30 years combined tasting and judging experience resulting in two vastly experienced palates, it’s no small wonder that Wine Cellar offers one of South Africa’s most comprehensive wine lists online, specialising in SA leading winemaking regions and Europe’s finest too, including French regions such as Bordeaux, the Rhone, Champagne and Burgundy.

But what does it really take to curate and maintain such a devastatingly tempting range of rare, vintage and well-priced wines? We speak to Roland about the joys and challenges of being so deeply invested in the Nectar of the Gods.

Question: For the second year in a row, you were the auctioneer at the Nederburg Charity Auction. Tell us a bit about your involvement? Answer: We operate in a top-end luxury environment and it’s difficult to give back to the community.

The Nederburg Charity Auction is an awesome platform for me to contribute with my fine wine knowledge and sales ability.

The lots are often really exciting too, such as trips overseas and 100-year-old wines.

Funds raised go to wine industry community projects around the wine regions and are desperately needed.

Question: How did life lead you into the business of fine wine? Answer: Having grown up in Joburg, I had no background in wine until I reached Stellenbosch University.

Ironically, it was Tassenberg that got me questioning what I was drinking. The June 2000 batch, noted in very small letters on the side of the bottle, somehow tasted much better than any other.

Asking the barmen at a late night jol which batch they had on offer was a tricky question. From there I joined the wine society and started tasting as much wine as I could. I was fascinated by how all the contributing factors in wine lead to countless different experiences in the glass.

Wine is an amazing industry and your senses become elated with fine experiences.

Question: Who were your mentors along your journey? Answer: My colleague James was in fact my first real mentor 15 years ago, as we worked together in my last year of university. He had, and still has, an unparalleled passion for wine and was able to communicate wine better than anyone I had ever met. Though in my career I have got to know many local and international wine professionals, but David Brice, the founder of Wine Cellar, and Cathy van Zyl, a Master of Wine, have also had great influence. Question: What would you say has been your singular most impressive wine experience along the way? Answer: On one of my regular Bordeaux trips, I was lucky enough to go to a dinner where we tasted and drank all the Bordeaux First Growths from 1982, not only a great vintage but my birth year too. Some of those bottles such as Petrus 1982 are over R100 000 per bottle. A hedonistic experience.

Question: What are the greatest rewards of turning your passion into your career? Answer: Work becomes your life, which means you are generally immersed in activities that you enjoy.

This also has its downsides of struggling to shut-off, but my routine each day is completely different and I get to taste my way around the world. Fine food is another benefit of trading in fine wine.

Question: How do you see the role of an online fine wine merchant as opposed to a traditional retailer? Answer: The world is changing quickly and therefore you need to keep up to date with technology.

The online business also means that you constantly have your shop front “open” and there is always work to be done.

The down side is that you don’t get to meet customers often, which is one of the best parts of selling fine wine. We therefore host around 60 tasting events a year to promote our wines.