Auction wines fetch R4,7 million
2008-09-25
ON Saturday, the 34th annual Nederburg auction wines fetched a total of R4,79 million, compared with last year’s R5,13 million. Organisers attributed this year’s lower income as well as the lower average price of R1 270 per nine-litre case – down 10 percent on last year – to the present economic conditions and highly competitive trading environment in the South African and international wine market. The number of participants is determined by a strict selective process which also determines the quantity of wines available. Foreign buyers were responsible for 23 percent of the sales, equal to last year’s figure, with Juric Imports from Zambia, Southern Rhino from Taiwan and Casa Flora from Brazil amongst the Top Ten buyers. Jan Scannell, MD of the Distell Group, said what most encouraged him about the auction results was the sustainability in international sales, including higher sales to Africa, which shows that South Africa’s wine footprint is showing positive growth. For the second time in the history of the auction, a restaurant chain has taken the top spot, with the Cape Town Fish Market buying wine worth R924 800 (1 266 cases), representing about 20 percent of total sales. Checkers was the second biggest buyer with 578 cases worth R554 680 and Makro third with R474 580 (542 cases) As in the past the supermarket and retail groups, Checkers, Makro, Spar and Ultra Liquors dominated the rest of the South African top ten purchasers, ensuring that consumers will be able to enjoy Auction wines at favourable prices. Other top ten buyers included Morukuru Lodge from the North-West Province and Wine of the Month Club, based in Cape Town. The new record price for the rare Monis Collectors Port Stamp Collection 1948 was R21 000 – at R3 500 per bottle, the highest price ever paid for a port at the auction. Last year’s price was R20 000. The second highest price for port was R15 000 for a case of six bottles of the rare Nederburg Reserve Port. The average price of port per nine-litre case was R1 414. The highest price paid for a Noble Late Harvest wine was R5 800 for 6 x 500 ml of Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1992. The second highest price was R375 per 375ml bottle for the award-winning Nederburg Edelkeur 1977. The average price for Noble Late Harvest wine was R1 861 per nine-litre case. One of the features of the Auction in spring has been the inclusion of current vintages of Sauvignon Blanc. The highest price paid in this category was R83 for a bottle of Nederburg Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc 2008.
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