South African wines triumphed at the 31st Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction at Spier in the Stellenbosch Winelands over the weekend, with new record prices for both red and white wines and the average price per case up by almost 10 percent on last year.
The auction acts a showcase for South African wines, as well as benefiting young people interested in becoming part of the wine industry, and this year achieved total sales of R11,815,800 ($868,000). That was just short of the $870,000 reached in 2014, despite having 264 fewer cases this year.
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A case of six bottles of 2012 Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer fetched the highest price ever paid for a red wine at the auction with a top bid of $900. White wine prices also soared with 2013 AA Badenhorst Family Wines Graniet-Berg setting a new auction record of $514 for a case of six.
Tsogo Sun, South Africa's largest hotel and gaming company, was the biggest buyer for the second consecutive year with total purchases of more than $150,000. Other top buyers included The Butcher Shop and Grill, Restaurant Mosaic, Rouseu Wijnen of Belgium, and a number of private collectors.
"The auction results this year are testament to not only the quality of South African wines but also to the progress our wine industry has made. The perceived value of our auction wines, as borne out in the high prices achieved again this year, are a further endorsement of the excellent reviews the industry received after Cape Wine 2015," said Andries Burger, chairman of the Cape Winemakers Guild.
He pointed out that the Cape Winemakers Guild had a much broader focus than just its annual auction: "Through our auction events we have been able to plow back into the industry by raising over R1.6 million [$117,500] this year alone to support transformation and the development of talented young winemakers and viticulturists through the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Development Trust and our Protégé Program."
This year, six red wines fetched higher prices than last year's record of $632 per case. 2013 Hartenberg CWG Auction Shiraz peaked at $808, 2013 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve sold for $735, and the 2011 Etienne Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve went for $705. The 2013 Beyerskloof Traildust Pinotage and 2012 Rust en Vrede CWG Estate both fetched $676.
Among the whites, four beat last year's record high including 2014 Ataraxia Under the Gavel Chardonnay at $470, the 2013 AA Badenhorst Family Wines "Geel-Kapel" Muscat de Frontignan at $441, and 2014 Jordan Chardonnay Auction Selection at $426.
The auction attracted 153 buyers, comprising 131 local and 22 foreign buyers. In total 2569 six-bottle cases were sold at an average price of $338 per case and an average price per bottle of $56.
The lineup of 55 wines included 34 red wines, 17 white wines, three Méthode Cap Classique and a dessert wine.
The bulk of the wines – 84 percent – was snatched up by local buyers with the rest going to foreigners – 6 percent more than last year. Among the foreign buyers, the most bids came from Germany followed by Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Over and above the main auction, a record amount of $17,000 was raised on the day in aid of the Cape Winemaker's Guild Protégé Program, a mentorship initiative for young, upcoming winemakers and viticulturists. This year's special item sold at the charity auction, a one-of-a-kind 18-liter 2013 Members' Reserve comprising a blend of top wines from all 46 members of the Guild, was purchased for $2940.
