Yet this year, vintages from
these periods resonated strongly with the selection panel, resulting in a
strong classic wine offering on sale at the event this coming September, the 11th and
12th, at Nederburg in Paarl. And perhaps it’s fitting to consider
these past heroes as inspiration for the icon wines of the future, given the 2015
theme of “Beyond”, says Auction manager Dalene Steyn.
She says selection panels of
the past few years have put in a concerted effort to search for truly benchmark
wines, ones that prove beyond doubt that South African wines are ageworthy.
“This year’s selection
contains several of these ‘heroes of the past’, wines that have consistently
impressed local and international wine critics, and which we anticipate will
create some competitive bidding amongst buyers.”
Wine judge Roland Peens concurs:
“These wines are particularly special in that they weren’t made for the
intention of ageing, at least not for 40 to 50 years. Therefore very little was
kept for maturation and investment. Perfectly stored vintage SA wines are
extremely rare, adding to the mystique and auction value..”
Some of the
older wines of this era that have been selected for inclusion include a Lanzerac Cabernet 1957, the first wine bottled under the Lanzerac
label.
It was made in small
quantities from grapes grown on the estate where the famous Lanzerac hotel is
currently situated. These were bushvines with a low yield, hence the delicious
Cabernet Sauvignon flavours still prevalent after so many years. Two cases of
three 750ml bottles each are on offer at a reserve price of R2 000 per case.
Also hailing
from the estate via Distell’s Tabernacle collection is a Lanzerac
Pinotage 1965, a vintage
celebrating its half century this year. This wine is still very much
alive, with good fruit flavours and a touch of sweetness that is due to
the generosity of fruit from the variety, “… a substantial chunk
of their virtue derived from old-style Cape winemaking”, as observed by
wine writer Michael Fridjhon following a vertical tasting of
Lanzerac Pinotages in 2008.
Six bottles of 1965 Lanzerac
Pinotage fetched R5 000 on the 2012 Nederburg Auction. This year buyers
have an opportunity to bid on two cases of three 375ml bottles at a reserve
price of R1 500 per case.
Another legendary
50-year-old is the Chateau Libertas 1965, made by Ronnie Melck and
Duimpie Bayly. It featured on the 2011 and 2013 Nederburg Auctions, and
exceeded its reserve price by R1 800 to sell for R11 000. It scored 82 at the
2013 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show in what was then described as “a benchmarking
moment for the industry”. Two cases of three 750ml bottles are on auction at a
reserve price of R1 500 per case.
From the same vintage comes
another big earner, the Zonnebloem Cabernet 1965, which appeared on
the 2012 Nederburg Auction with a reserve price of R3 000, and sold for R22 000
in determined bidding. This year sees two cases of three 750ml bottles at a
reserve price of R1 500 per case available to buyers. Tasted by South
African wine critic Christian Eedes earlier this year, it scored 93.
A decade younger, a 1975
Alto Cabernet on offer comes from sea level vineyards harvested at 12
years old for this vintage, and cultivated under dryland conditions by the then
winemaker, Piet du Toit, father of former Springbok rugby player Hempies du
Toit. The wine was offered at a reserve price of R2 000 per case in 2013, and
was eventually knocked down for R7 000. Just one case of three 750ml bottles is
available on this year’s auction.
Moving forward another
decade, a Meerlust Rubicon 1986, one of the more famous Rubicon
vintages, is on offer and had wine critic Michael Green comment in 2010
that “… the wine still showed a distinguished character… a very good wine that
one could serve anywhere”. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and
Cabernet Franc has been produced since 1980.
Several sweet and fortified
wines will almost certainly attract collector attention, not the
least South Africa's oldest and most highly prized wine, the Jaubert
Family Muscat 1800. Making its debut on the Nederburg Auction, this wine,
bottled from a single 115-litre barrel that has been in the care of the Joubert
family for more than 200 years, is a once-in-a-lifetime buy for any collector,
with just two bottles of 275ml at a reserve price of R42 500 each available for
sale on Saturday 12th September.
Cobus Joubert, the current
custodian, tops up the barrel roughly every five years, using only the best
Muscat sourced from Barrydale. The barrel is not topped fully, continuing the
tradition of slow oxidation and leading to a partial Solera style. Neal Martin of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate tasted
a bottle in 2011 and awarded it 99 points, the
highest score ever for a South African wine
KWV Port has long been a
feature on the Auction selection. Two notable wines from the Paarl producer
this year still show beautifully: a Limited Release Port 1948 and
a White Port 1966. The ’48 has a tawny character with a lot of
typical nuttiness, its soft, dry tannins well integrated with the alcohol,
while the ’66 is a lively and fresh wine, with an abundance of fruit
aromas and flavours. The wine is persistent on the palate with a sweet finish.
Lastly, the Monis
Collectors Marsala 1983 rounds up the collection of vintage sweet and
fortified wines on offer this year. Described by wine writer Dave Hughes
as “a glorious wine … magnificently smooth in the mouth with unbelievable
thick velvet texture … incredible long finish,” the Collectors Marsala spent 10
years in 300-litre barrels to mature into the rich and sweet fruitcake type of
wine it is.
Steyn says modern wines
would do well to track the evolution of these classics. “It is our mission therefore to ensure that the legacy of
iconic wines, those with long-term ageing potential, continues. And along with
it our country’s rich, beautiful, rare wine heritage, evident in every bottle
purchased at the Nederburg Auction.”
The complete
list of wines on the 2015 Nederburg Auction is available at this link: https://www.nederburgauction.co.za/2015-wines-on-auction/. The official 2015 Auction catalogue,
containing detailed information and tasting notes on each wine, is available to
view and download here: https://www.nederburgauction.co.za/auction-catalogues/
Further
information, including details on registering to secure a ticket to this year’s
event, is published on the official website www.nederburgauction.co.za.