NEWS

With the world market increasingly focused on the fine and rare wines from South Africa, the Cape Winelands is in a stronger position than ever to showcase its fine wine investments. This year, the Cape Winelands is proud to host its first-ever Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction, an evolution of the historic Nederburg Auction in 1975.

This premium auction event will be led by South Africa’s wine producers, who will offer their iconic local wines on a single, collaborative platform. The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will unite industry stalwarts and emerging winemakers, to showcase Cape wine at its finest to local and international audiences and buyers.

Representing 64 of South Africa’s best producers, the auction will be held on the 18th and 19th of October, at the Rupert Museum in the heart of Stellenbosch. Buyers will have the opportunity to bid and secure an investment in a choice of 128 wines, all with proven provenance. These fine and rare wines were painstakingly curated by some of the most respected South African wine insiders, including Master of Wine (MW) Cathy van Zyl, Critical Wine Writer and Columnist, Michael Fridjhon, and Wine Judge and Buyer François Rautenbach. Commenting on the selection process, Fridjhon said: “This is the first time - to my knowledge - that the selection process for an auction of this kind has included criteria around investment potential over and above a rigorous wine quality assessment. The older examples were checked to ensure they had aged gracefully. Where necessary mature wines were recorked. Everything has been done to ensure a perfect experience for the buyers.”

The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will feature wines from some of the country’s most exclusive wine vaults: A selection of Klein Constantia’s famous Vin de Constance, historically venerated in literature by both Charles Dickens and Jane Austen for its calming properties, will be made available. Buyers will also be able to claim lots of Kanonkop’s Paul Sauer 1995, a predecessor of the famous 2015 vintage which was the first-ever South African wine on release to elicit a perfect score (100/100) from an international wine critic. A selection of new wave Cinsault-led wines by producers such as Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, Sadie Family Wines, Naudé, Darling Cellars, Roodekrantz, and Metzer Family Wines – inspired by old vines and wines such as the 1959 Chateau Libertas lot - have also been included in the Auction catalogue.

“The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction provides a perfect juxtaposition between the past and the future. Buyers will appreciate that the curated list highlights the similarities between South Africa’s stalwart producers and their younger counterparts. The auction thus really reflects the deep-seated respect and camaraderie of the local wine industry,” said Auction curators.

This year sees a number of debut participants including Alheit Vineyards (Magnetic North), Boschkloof (Epilogue), Dalla Cia (Giorgio & Teano), Keermont (Fleurfontein), Keet (First Verse), Lismore (Syrah), Luddite (Niels Verburg Shiraz), Newton Johnson Family Vineyards (Family Vineyards Pinot Noir), Sadie Family Wines (Columella) and Waterford Estate (The Jem) entered into the auction line-up.

The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will also allow buyers to rediscover brands like Plaisir de Merle and its 300-year history of making French-inspired wines on the slopes of the Simonsberg, and celebrate initiatives like the Old Vine Project side by side.

The curators added: “We included incredible heritage wines from the Tabernacle, arguably South Africa’s most famous rare wine vault, and with the help of Amorim Cork, the world’s leading cork supplier, we have re-corked all older vintage wines on auction this year, with fresh new Amorim NDTech corks, under strictly controlled and certified processes ”

Paying homage to the heritage of the event, Nederburg has its renowned Edelkeurs on offer, from 1979. Günter Brözel, Nederburg’s cellarmaster for 33 years until his retirement in 1989, was the creator of the famous Nederburg Edelkeur; the auction its only point of sale since its inception in 1975.

Fundamentally an exercise in showcasing the value of Cape wine, the Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will be executed by the international auction house, Christie’s. Facilitating the international reach of the auction, Christie's has included a South African ‘super lot’ in their Fine & Rare Wine Auction later this year in London, followed by a similar offer in Hong Kong in 2020. This will ensure international exposure and set the tone befitting the competitive quality and history of South African wine.

The two-day event will open with a pre-tasting at the Rupert Museum on the 18th of October. A charitable auction on Saturday, 19th October, will be preceded by the main auction. For a full list of the wine on auction, please click here.

If you are interested in attending this exclusive wine event, please register your interest as a buyer on the auction website at www.CapeFineRareWine.Auction. Those unable to attend, but still looking to bid can do so by phone, proxy or mandate bidding.

Keep up to date with all auction news and events by following The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction on Twitter @CapeFineWineAuc Instagram: @CapeFineRareWineAuction Facebook: Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction.

Issued on behalf of the Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction by Feed That Bird Communication Consultants
Contact: Jeanri-Tine Van Zyl-Punt
email: jeanritine@feedthatbird.com
Mobile: 082 591 4746
Office: 021 206 6108

Submissions are now open for the 2019 Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction, previously presented as the Nederburg Auction since 1975.

This is an exciting chapter in the South African wine auction landscape and brings a new focus, format, selection process and venue for a truly industry-led auction, centred around the high expectations of today’s wine enthusiasts, investors, collectors and producers.

The selection process has been rigorously debated by world-renowned judges, critics and influencers to ensure that the process aligns with other respected international wine auctions. Collectively they have shaped both the auction platform and the fine and rare wine industry. The final wine line-up will be strictly curated by a panel of expert judges, who are tasked with creating one of the most impressive wine-line-ups in the Auctions history. Strict criteria and absolute focus on quality, fine and rare wines with proven provenance and demand will guarantee that buyers can bid on highly collectable wines with confidence.

All South African producers are invited to submit their finest and rarest provenanced wines by the entry deadline, Tuesday 21 May 2019.

The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction has also partnered with Amorim Corks to offer a recorking service to any producer wanting to submit older vintage wines. The recorking would typically be for wines that are 25 to 30 years and older. The process will be overseen by the producer and a recorking certificate issued. This is an important step in protecting our heritage wines and ensuring lasting legacies.

After 44 years at Nederburg in Paarl, the auction is moving to arguably one of South Africa’s most important homes for contemporary South African art, the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch. The venue and auction create the perfect synergy between the South African visual arts, the art of winemaking and their shared purpose of promoting and curating heritage South African art in all forms.

The new venue allows the auction to be completely business-focussed as space and tickets will be limited to serious buyers only. Although icon wines are the main focus, guests can expect a fun-filled event with world-class wines, cuisine and excellent networking opportunities in a relaxed environment.

In addition to the South African auction, the Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction has partnered with British auction house Christies to provide a Superlot at their London sale towards the end of this year. The Superlot’s will be rolled out to other major centres in a phased approach and will be selected by specialists in each region. Wines will only be selected from producers participating in the SA auction.

If you’re interested in participating and haven’t received an invitation to enter your wines, please contact the Auction Office on JLSmith@libertasvineyards.co.zaor 021 809 7740. The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will be held at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch on Friday 18thand Saturday 19thOctober 2019.

The historic Nederburg Auction launched in 1975, has entered an exciting new chapter by evolving into the Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction which will be held in October this year.

The strategic move is in line with Distell’s new premium and fine wine company, Libertas Vineyards and Estates, whose purpose is to support and drive the upselling and premiumisation of South African wine on the global stage.

CEO of Libertas Vineyards and Estates, Kay Nash, says the collective vision is to build an industry platform widening world wide access to South African fine wines and by doing so escalate the desirability and collectability of these wines.

“In order to achieve this, we believe that the auction can be a catalyst for change. By growing an industry platform for fine wine producers and leveraging our 44 years of experience and investment we will collectively raise interest in South African fine and rare wines and attract existing, and new local and global buyers.”

“Collectors and investors are increasingly seeking out wines that have a story and a strong connection to a particular place or vineyard. They seek rarity, quality and provenance which the line-up of fine and rare wines will certainly deliver on.”

The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will introduce exciting changes, including moving from Nederburg to the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch and a new selection process and format. The final wine selection will be curated by a panel of expert judges with strict criteria focussing on quality, rarity and collectability as the main drivers. Philanthropy will remain a key element of the auctions DNA and focus for all the stakeholders.

The Auction will also collaborate with British Auction House Christie’s, by introducing a Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction Superlot at their Fine and Rare Wine Auction held in London later this year.

“This platform will provide participating South African producers significant exposure to new buyers and by partnering with Christie’s, we will benefit from their expertise and gravitas in the category and plan to build our presence at global events in a phased approach.“

To ensure the Auction delivers a platform that is inclusive and transparent, significant input has been sought from industry influencers, leaders and buyers. Nash says “the response has been inspiring.”

“In April we hosted a group of individuals, some who have and some who have never participated in the Nederburg Auction before, to provide input for the new format. The feedback has been constructive and extremely positive.”

“The change is all about collaboration and inclusivity. We will continue to work together with the producers, industry and buyers to deliver success for all stakeholders.

“We anticipate that the producers represented at the new format Auction will be diverse and the changed selection criteria and reinvented fundamental ethos of the Auction will encourage participation by South Africa’s finest producers.”The Cape Fine & Rare Wine Auction will take place on 18 and 19 October at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch. Tickets will be by invitation and we encourage potential buyers to contact the Auction Office on 021 809 7740 to register their interest.