CAPE WINEMAKERS AUCTION
It’s a great honour for Sebastian to be part of the CWG. It is an incredible collaboration between winemakers, not only to taste fantastic wines together on a regular basis, but also as a platform to share ideas and initiatives in the wine industry. For example, the CWG Protégé program that is driving the development of young talent in the wine industry.
It is also a great platform for Sebastian to express his deep fascination and love for Chenin Blanc and Mourvèdre. The wines that he has made for previous auctions have been there to push the boundaries and perceptions of the two cultivars. Whether it was the Moerse Moer Chenin 2015 (produced from a crazy portion of heavy lees juice that one would normally throw away) or the slightly sweeter but truly magical Demi Sec style of Chenin, or the first 100% Whole Bunch Fermented Mourvèdre, that showed how beautiful this grape can be. The guild auction wines are made to capture something magical.
Last weekend saw the 37th Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) Auction and its Protégé Program Charity Auction successfully raise a collective sum of R10 411 000. As the Wine Enthusiast Magazine justly put it. "There is no better time to drink South African Wine".
Sebastian’s Mourvèdre was touted as stand-out red wine of this year’s auction. With Tamlyn Currin writing, on Jancis Robinson’s blog,
“I get to taste a lot of Mourvèdre every year. I have yet to taste a varietal version that has quite the magic of this wine. If I were to buy one red wine from this auction, this would be my choice”.
We are thrilled to report that new records were set for the Mourvèdre with our CWG Whole Bunch Mourvèdre 2017 reaching a record R5500/case.
The CWG was thrilled that the Guild’s trajectory of excellence sparked the interest of buyers from 19 countries, enticing loyal as well as first-time buyers globally to invest in top South African wines. International buyers purchased 37% of the total wine offering, but as always, the predominant support (63%) was still from a loyal domestic base. Globally, buyers from UK, Denmark, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Namibia, Poland, Sweden, Australia, and the USA purchased auction wine.
Andrea Mullineux, CWG Chair says:
“Each member of the Cape Winemakers Guild consistently strives for excellence in the art of wine as individuals and together, uplifting each other as well as those who are the future of the wine industry. These two successful auctions showcase that our investment in winemaking and in the people who are becoming the next generation's winemaking role models are producing results that will have a positive ripple effect for years to come."
Go to www.capewinemakersguild.com to read more about the guild and its initiatives. And keep an eye out for next years auction wine!
