Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction 2019

October 20, 2019 by Sharese Hunt Event

The Auction was held at Spier Wine Estate in Stellenbosch and produced a total turnover exceeding R9.4 million with an average price per case (6 x 750ml) of R4 873 and an average price per bottle of R812.

This was the 24th year of Nedbank’s partnership with the Cape Winemakers Guild. What makes the CWG Auction unique is the fact that the wines on auction are hand made for the CWG Auction, and are only available at the CWG Auction. The Cape Winemakers Guild was established in 1982 by a handful of dynamic winemakers as a platform to learn about wine.

PROTÉGÉ PROGRAMME
The Protégé Programme has established itself as the most successful skills development programme in the South African wine industry. Launched in 2006, the aim of this three-year internship is to cultivate the next generation of award-winning winemakers and viticulturists through mentorship and empowerment, whilst promoting transformation within the industry.

The members of the Guild play a pivotal role in mentoring and inspiring the Protégés to strive for perfection, passion and excellence in winemaking. This enables the Protégés to develop their skills whilst being exposed to different terroirs and styles of wine, giving them invaluable experience and a firm foundation upon which to build their careers.

To date, 30 Protégés have participated in the programme, with 20 having graduated and now working within the South African wine industry. A further ten Protégés are currently participating in the programme.

The event kicked off with breakfast and coffee served in the VIP Lounge. There was delicious egg and spinach tartlets, Beef kofta with beetroot hummus, Smoked Trout served with homemade labneh and poppy seed and Slow roasted tomato, goat’s cheese and olive phyllo tartlets.

Informal tasting of the Auction wines were setup in the tasting room getting the opportunity to taste and enjoy the wines selected for the Auction.

Some of the wines we tasted:
•Mullineaux ‘The Gris’ Semillon Old Vines 2018
•Vloekstoot Wooded Sauvignon Blanc 2018
•Raats The Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc 2018
•De Grendel Wooded Sauvignon Blanc 2019
•De Trafford Chenin Blanc 2017
•Jordan CWG Chardonnay 2018
•Newton Johnson Chardonnay 2018
•Ataraxia Under the Gavel Chardonnay 2018
•Silverthorn Big Dog V MCC 2014
•Beaumont Whole Bunch Chenin Blanc 2017

•Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2016
•Beyerskloof CWG Traildust Pinotage 2017
•Cederberg Teen die Hoog Shiraz 2017
•Newton Johnson The Awakening Mourvèdre 2018

THE AUCTION
The auction was open to the public and the room was filled with wine collectors and local and international buyers from the retail and hospitality industries. Telephonic and Proxy bidding options were available for buyers who were unable to attend the Auction.

THE WINES ON AUCTION
Beyerskloof
CWG Traildust Pinotage 2017
100% Pinotage
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Beyers Truter

A big structured Pinotage with intense, dark fruit flavours. A complex middle leads to a smooth finish with pleasant aromas from the French oak. Great balance between fruit and oak will allow for ageing superbly in the bottle.

Jordan
Sophia 2016
67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot Estate Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Gary Jordan

Complex, dark chocolate, black cherry and cassis intertwine with rich blackberry fruit and hints of vanilla and spice from the integrated French oak. Densely layered ripe tannins add to the opulent fruit.

Hartenberg
CWG Auction Shiraz 2016
100% Shiraz
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Carl Schultz

White pepper and perfumed notes on the bouquet. The palate entry is supple and elegant, whilst the mid-palate shows spicy garrigue and black berries. Ends with a richness of fruit and fine, dry tannins.

Leeu Passant
Radicales Libres 2014
100% Chardonnay Wine of Origin Klein Karoo
Winemaker Andrea Mullineux

Salt and Almonds and Time and Power. This wine is bulletproof and will pair amazingly with hard cheese and salty nuts. This wine is packed in wooden boxes.

Kanonkop
CWG Paul Sauer 2016
62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc Wine of Origin Simonsberg – Stellenbosch
Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

Perfume, red berries and floral notes are prominent on the nose, with a structured, yet elegant palate. This is a classic example of this wine and also representative of the vintage.

Neil Ellis Wines
The Designate 2013
70% Tempranillo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Warren Ellis

Dark, intense garnet colour. A subtle nose of dark and red cherries, violets and perfumed notes leading into masala spice and tobacco finish. The palate is elegant yet complex and dense. Dark berries and liquorice unfolds into an elegant and lengthy balanced palate.

Ataraxia
Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2018
100% Chardonnay
Wine of Origin Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
Winemaker Kevin Grant

Inspired by the mantra “Terroir can be found by anybody who would care to look for it”, this wine is the purest expression of Ataraxia’s dirt (soil). Broad-shouldered, yet undeniably athletic.

Grangehurst
Auction Reserve 2015 (750ml bottles)
59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Jeremy Walker

Dark cherries; spicy liquorice with subtle vanilla notes. Dry entry with a rich mid-palate and a lingering juicy acidity. Well-structured ending with integrated ‘dusty- savoury’ tannins.

Boekenhoutskloof
Syrah Auction Reserve 2017
100% Syrah Wine of Origin Coastal
Winemaker Marc Kent

Floral notes abound on the nose, an indicator of the wine’s part Swartland pedigree; explosion of white pepper and spicy aromatics on the palate as expected from a cooler maritime-influenced vineyard.

Edgebaston
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2016
100% Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker David Finlayson

Dense and dark with a cedar spice and ripe, cassis nose. This wine shows the typical iron-fisted structure of great Simonsberg Cabernet Sauvignon. Terrific linear acidity, bright fruit and wood tannin.

Raats Family Wines
The Fountain
Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc 2018
100% Chenin Blanc Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Bruwer Raats

The wine offers a complex nose showing quince, peach and apple, with lemongrass and ginger spices giving it more dimension alongside the mineral intensity of the finish.

Strydom Family Wines
Paradigm 2016
74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Rianie Strydom

This is a well-balanced wine with a soft entry and fresh inner core. The palate shows red and dark fruit flavours, graphite and refined tannins.

Bartho Eksteen
Professore 2017
81% Pinotage, 11% Roobernet, 8% Nouvelle Wine of Origin Western Cape
Winemaker Bartho Eksteen

Pinotage, known for its cherry (Pinot Noir) flavours and earthiness (Cinsaut), ripe Nouvelle often adds a waxy, bubble-gum tone – but be careful with Roobernet; it’s another “animal”. A new born magic.

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards
Sandford Chardonnay 2018
100% Chardonnay

Beaming yellow fruit and mineral crushed stones drive the vigour in the nose, fleshed out with richer stone fruit and roasted chestnuts. Luxuriant front palate merges in to a linear and grippy finish.

De Grendel
Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2017
100% Pinot Noir
Wine of Origin Ceres Plateau
Winemaker Charles Hopkins

A bouquet of floral perfume and ripe maraschino cherries is followed by elegant sweet liquorice spice on the palate. Oak with a well-rounded, rich flavour and lengthy finish.

Cederberg
Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2017
100% Shiraz
Wine of Origin Cederberg
Winemaker David J Nieuwoudt

The Shiraz shows great fruit intensity with aromas of mulberries and blackberries. A combination of sweet spice and violets on the nose, ending with a firm structure on the palate.

Spier
Farm House Organic Chenin Blanc 2017
Skin Fermented 100% Chenin Blanc Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Frans Smit

Bright, golden, yellow hues with butterscotch, apricots and hints of citrus on the nose. A rich mouth-watering palate precedes a lingering crisp finish. Pairs well with butter chicken or pork belly.

Saronsberg
The Inner Circle 2016
82% Shiraz, 11% Grenache, 6% Mourvèdre, 1% Viognier Wine of Origin Tulbagh
Winemaker Dewaldt Heyns

Combining the most concentrated fruit from our best vineyards gives us greater complexity, a wine of unparalleled richness and concentrated flavours of fynbos, spice and dark fruit.

Paul Cluver
Auction Selection Pinot Noir 2017
100% Pinot Noir Wine of Origin Elgin
Winemaker Andries Burger

A wine with a beautiful bright red colour and an inviting nose of red berry fruit. The palate is juicy, with fresh red fruit and fine, grainy tannins. An elegant wine with a lingering savoury aftertaste.

Ernie Els
CWG 2016
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, 10% Cinsault Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Louis Strydom

Immediately impactful. Complex, with an array of fruit, oak and savoury aromas. Black cherry, red currant, crushed stone, tilled earth and toasty oak, all underscored by refined tannins.

Graham Beck Wines
Agrafe Fermented and Crown
Cap Fermented MCC 2014
51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir Wine of Origin Western Cape
Winemaker Pieter Ferreira

Good entry of lime zest and classic creamy complexity. Well supported by the richness from the Pinot on the palate with great elegance and finesse with great yeast complexity and surprising freshness.

De Trafford
Perspective 2017 (1.5 L bottles)
36% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker David Trafford

Deep, bright red colour. Dark berry and cherry nose with graphite, herbs, chalk and cedar notes. Tightly structured, elegant palate with fine tannins and well balanced fruit and savoury aspects.

Boplaas
Cape Vintage Auction Reserve 2016
80% Touriga Nacional, 10% Tinta Barocca, 5% Souzão, 5% Touriga Franca Wine of Origin Western Cape
Winemaker Carel Nel

A bouquet of crushed black berry, tart cranberry, kirsch and purple plums with bright allspice top notes, intermingled with fynbos and savoury undercurrents.

Beaumont Family Wines
Leo’s Whole Bunch Chenin Blanc 2017
100% Chenin Blanc Wine of Origin Bot River
Winemaker Sebastian Beaumont

Light, straw colour from the time on the skins. Aromas of spicy and floral fruit. Hint of oak. Inviting palate of fresh fruit, spice and grainy texture. Leaves your mouth watering for the next sip.

Miles Mossop Wines
Maximilian 2014
100% Cabernet Sauvignon Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Miles Mossop

This wine is intense and dark. Displaying notes of cassis, blackberry and cedar wood. Hints of tobacco leaf and a firm tannic, savoury finish.

Rijk’s
CWG Pinotage 2016
100% Pinotage
Estate Wine of Origin Tulbagh
Winemaker Pierre Wahl

This opaque, black coloured wine has a complex nose of liquorice and blackcurrant, supported by some fynbos aromas. These exquisite aromas carry through onto a rich, creamy palate.

DeMorgenzon
Gravitas 2017
59% Grenache Noir, 27% Syrah, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvèdre Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Carl van der Merwe

Floral and spice aromas are complemented by a concentrated core of juicy berry fruit. The palate is structured and tightly packed with fine tannin. The finish is dry and refreshing.

Groot Constantia
Gouverneurs Auction Reserve 2017
54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Cabernet Franc Wine of Origin Constantia
Winemaker Boela Gerber

Layers of blackcurrant, black cherries and wood spice on the nose are supported by graphite and cigar box flavours. Cassis and cherries follow on the palate. Fine dry tannin promises good ageing potential.

Silverthorn Wines
Big Dog V Méthode Cap Classique 2014
69% Chardonnay, 31% Pinot Noir Wine of Origin Western Cape
Winemaker John Loubser

The aim with Big Dog V is to create a rich and complex bubbly without compromising finesse and elegance. An enticing roasted almond, marzipan and cookie spice bouquet supported by a creamy palate.

Boschkloof
Epilogue Syrah 2017
100% Syrah
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Winemaker Jacques Borman

Layers of perfumed fruit, white pepper, lavender and oak spices. Beautiful freshness from partial whole bunch fermentation. This wine ends with a lingering aftertaste. Great ageing potential.