Record sales at wine auction
2005-04-14
THE Nederburg Auction on April 9 reached the second highest total in its 31-year history, with sales reaching R7,49-million for 4 955 cases.
The highly successful day culminated in prices for rare and special South African wines increasing by a whopping 90 percent - the overall average price per 9-litre case was an all-time high of R2 145.
Another milestone was the first South African buyer to spend more than R2 million at the auction - George Naidoo from Midmar Liquors, who accounted for 33% of total sales on the day and bought 1 438 cases to the value of R2,48 million.
The top ten buyers featured a wide variety of customers that bought 71% of the wine, the highest ratio in more than a decade.
Liquor City from Johannesburg was the second biggest buyer, with the Cape Town Fish Market restaurant group in third position, followed by Pick ‘n Pay, Makro, SPAR Western Cape, and The Butcher Shop and Grill in Johannesburg.
Cybercellar with most of its sales bound for overseas, the Altia Corporation of Finland and AG Morris International, duty-free agents in Cape Town were also in the top 10.
The average price paid for red wine doubled to R2 481, up on last year’s R1 208 - with the last six bottles of the Nederburg Selected Cabernet Sauvignon 1962 going for R26 000 (6 x 750 ml).
The average price paid for dry white wine was R1 233 (per 9-litre case), up on last year’s price of R645. Warwick Professor Black Sauvignon Blanc 2004 went for the top price of R4 300 per case (6 x 750 ml).
The average price paid for a noble late harvest was R2 299 up on last year’s R1 660. The top price of R11 200 was paid for the last case of Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1986 (6 x 500 ml).
The average price of fortified wine was R993, up on last year’s R445. The Nuy Red Muscadel 2005 took R700 (6 x 750 ml).
The average price of Port nearly doubled to R3 948, compared with last year’s R2 162. For the fourth consecutive year Monis Collectors Port Double Stamp Collection 1948 took the top spot, going for R14 500 (6 x 750 ml).
The Methode Cap Classique went for R1 618 compared with R1 086 last year – and one three-litre bottle of the JC Le Roux Chardonnay 1989 went for R1 300.
In his opening address the guest speaker and biodynamics expert, Nicolas Joly of Clos de la Coulée de Serrant in Savennières in the Loire Valley, praised South African winemakers, saying: “Clearly, South Africa’s winegrowers have identified unique vine sites that express unique characteristics that are inimitable anywhere else in the world” and concluded “the wine farmer should be an artist of the earth.”
The charity sale raised R257 400 for both beneficiaries, the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa and the NGO Mothers To Mothers.
The Altia Corporation of Finland snapped up the 300-litre barrel of the Pinotage Association celebrating 80 years of Pinotage in South Africa for R75 000.
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