Vino variety coming up

The auction line-up features small volumes of unique wines all crafted exclusively for the auction by members of the guild. With the biggest white wine selection in the history of the guild and 667 more cases on offer than the previous year, the 2013 auction has more variety and unusual styles than ever before.

This year’s auction wines, all poised to become rare collector’s pieces, include 36 red wines, 18 white wines, two Méthode Cap Classiques, one dessert wine, a Port and a potstill brandy making up the tally of 3 184 cases (6x 750ml case equivalent).

“There is definitely a more creative edge to the 2013 auction line-up, showing us that our decision three years ago to revise our selection process for the auction is starting to bear fruit,” says guild chairman Jeff Grier, whose Villiera Meteor Cap Classique 2008 is one of two MCCs on offer.

Innovation and experimentation is most evident on the white wine front where Chardonnay takes the lead again this year with six wines on auction including Kevin Arnold’s first auction white wine, Waterford Estate Chardonnay Auction Reserve 2011.

Chardonnay enthusiasts have new vintages of top selling wines from previous auctions to look forward to such as Jordan Chardonnay Auction Reserve 2012, Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2012 and Ataraxia Under the Gavel Chardonnay 2012.

Making his auction debut is Bartho Eksteen with Hermanuspietersfontein Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc 2012, one of three Sauvignon Blancs to go under the hammer this year. Other auction newcomers include two unusual white cultivars: AA Badenhorst Family Wines Grenache Gris Vuilgoed 3 2012 from Adi Badenhorst and Johan Malan’s Simonsig The Russety One Roussanne 2012.

Neil Ellis makes his Pinotage auction debut with his Auction Reserve Pinotage 2011, one of two Pinotages on offer this year.

New vintages of top-selling auction stalwarts such as Hartenberg Auction Reserve Shiraz 2010, Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2011, Etienne Le Riche Auction Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Jordan Sophia 2010, Edgebaston Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2011, Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2010 should all make for competitive bidding.

Enthusiasts can taste the auction wines at Auction Showcases at the CTICC in Cape Town at 6pm on August 22 and at 6pm at The Atrium, Nedbank Sandton on August 29.

Tickets cost R170 and are available from www.WebTickets.co.za.