Auction promises diversity
HILE the annual Nederburg Auction and Cape Winemakers’ Guild (CWG) Auction are not directly comparable, as the former is only open to people holding liquor licences and the latter to anyone seeking to buy top-end wines, drawing parallels is unavoidable.
Two weeks ago, the Nederburg Auction raised the bar for the prices paid per litre for fine South African wines. The auction closed on R4.38 million (last year it achieved R4.67m), a figure more than double the expectations ahead of the event, given there was only 40 percent of last year’s volume under the hammer.
The CWG Auction, to take place on October 5, brings to the market the largest wine selection in the event’s 29-year history and, as bidding is open to anyone, online bidding will open the floor to previously untapped world markets.
Variety, a diversity of styles and unusual cultivars are the signature
WWine Notes of this year’s auction, featuring 59 singularly crafted wines and including a line-up of whites that have stood up to critical acclaim from prominent South African wine commentators.
Online bidding was piloted last year in partnership with UK auction giant ATG and with internet auction purchases trending globally, the organisers anticipate greater interest via the internet portal www.thesaleroom.com. The line-up features small volumes of wines crafted exclusively for the auction by guild members and includes the largest white wine selection yet presented.
Poised to become collectors’ pieces are 36 red wines, 18 white wines, two Méthode Cap Classique wines and one each of dessert wine, port and pot-still brandy. Local buyers accounted for 87 percent of sales last year, with The Butcher Shop and Grill owner Alan Pick being the largest spender for the past 11 years.
Hofmeyr Mills Auctioneers’ Henré Hablutzel will conduct the auction for the 16th year. The event, which will be held at Spier, will be open to the public.
Prospective buyers unable to attend can either register in advance and take advantage of the guild’s telephonic and proxy bidding, or register without charge on the website portal to bid online during the day.
When the hammer comes down for the final time, it will be interesting to note if the trend begun at Nederburg follows through – and thus, whether South Africans are looking at wine as a serious investment channel akin to the attitude that has been a part of European wine purchasing habits for decades.
jenveyn@telkomsa.net. THE DURBAN International Convention Centre’s executive chef, John Moatshe, has been awarded the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Brass Plaque/Blazon.
The accolade is given to a chef who maintains a superb level of cuisine, hospitality and service, according to the association’s exacting standards.
The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs was founded in Paris in 1248 and has over 25 000 members in more than 70 countries. It promotes the art of fine cuisine and supports the development of young culinary professionals.
“We are extremely proud of Chef John and the way he has