The 41st Cape Winemakers Guild Auction has already set a new benchmark for South African fine wine, with a record number of lots scoring 95 points or higher from leading critics in pre-tastings.
A total of 48 rare and exclusive wines from South Africa’s top winemakers will be on sale, featuring 30 reds, 17 whites and for the first time, a fortified wine.
Speaking to Decanter at a pre-auction tasting of all 48 bottles, Samantha O’Keefe, chair of the Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) said: ‘The lineup this year reflects the confidence that South African producers have at this stage in our growth and our evolution.
‘The elegance and the poise is something that you feel and that only comes with maturity and confidence. You’re seeing a new generation coming into their own,’ she added.
The CWG was founded in 1982, with the first auction in 1985. Membership of the guild is by invitation only, and the 42 winemaker members collectively choose the wines for each auction. These exclusive wines, made in limited quantities, are only available via the sale.
Highlights from the pre-auction tasting held in London, included the first-ever 100% Carignan on the CWG Auction: AA Badenhorst Family Wines Out of the Strong Comes Forth Freshness 2024, made by Adi Badenhorst.
Also made by Badenhorst is the first fortified wine to be included in the auction. The Saldanha Wine & Spirit Co, Saldanha Pale Dry Sea, Salt, Sand and Wind will be sold in 500ml bottles.
Other firsts for the auction include former Kanonkop winemaker Abrie Beeslaar’s first Pinotage under his own label: Beeslaar CWG Pinotage 2023. Lots also include the first red wine on auction for JD Pretorius: Warwick Auction Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon 2022.
Hannes Storm makes his CWG auction debut with two wines: Storm Wines Bokkeveld Shale Pinot Noir 2023 and Storm Wines Bokkeveld Shale Chardonnay 2023. While John Seccombe also makes his inaugural appearance with Thorne & Daughters Sand Castles 2024, a Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend.
The 2025 CWG Auction is a hybrid event that will take place in person at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, South Africa, as well as online at Strauss & Co.
Online bidders will need to create a bidder’s account and register for the opportunity to bid online in real-time via the Strauss & Co website, or by telephone or commission bid.
Running alongside the main two-day auction is the CWG Protégé Auction, with online bids open until 6pm on 6 October. Lots include rare verticals, unique collections and tasting experiences with Guild members.
There will also be bottles made by young winemakers who are part of the CWG Protégé Programme, set up in 2006 to offer three-year internships to promote diversity and inclusivity in the South African wine industry. All proceeds from the Protégé Auction are channelled back into supporting the protégés.
‘The auction gives collectors unique examples of some of the greatest wines coming from South Africa,’ said O’Keefe. ‘They’re being given an offering that is on par with anything that they could get anywhere in the world – and they’re also contributing to the future and diversity of the South African wine industry.’
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