Getting hammered at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction
21 October 2003 by Juliet Cullinan

A glimpse around the room at the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction would have revealed 'yours truly' rubbing shoulders with the cream of the Cape's 35 wine cognoscenti. You just don't get more cutting-edge than the Guild Auction, founded 21 years ago by eight pioneers.

Dutifully swilling and spitting, I discovered aromas of fruit underpinned with oak in most of the bottles on show but it was hard to single out favourites. All had been carefully crafted to ensure beautiful fruit and elegant structure. Most would benefit from maturation.

A variety of whites, reds, ports and dessert wines complemented the Bordeaux blends. Especially impressive was the Bruce Jack Dragon Tree Reserve, named after a tree growing above the underground cellar in Cape Town's Waterfront, which showed complexity and elegance with displays of cassis and spice.

Gary Jordan assured me that his Sophia wine, made with great intensity, fruit and a lovely balance, is his best ever. The label pays homage to the legendary mother of Faith, Hope and Charity. And the elegant Graham Beck Shiraz Viognier gloried in mouth-watering youngberry fruit and spice.

It was sad to see such a poor interest from the Chardonnay category. There were only two examples from Hamilton Russell and Glen Carlou. But what stunners they were, especially the elegant Hamilton Russell, made in the Meursault style with big, buttery flavours. I loved the elegance in Etienne Le Riche's inky black wines, with their hidden youngberries and blackberries, and the Pinot Noir from Bouchard Finlayson was gorgeous with subtle mushrooms underpinning cinnamon and cassis.

This great Guild Auction array is also shipped abroad to tempt the palates and paddles of wine enthusiasts on the big day. The Auction provides a marvellous platform to promote South African expertise, showcasing tiny parcels of handcrafted wines packed with more fruit, extract and oaking than their regular labels.

Celebrating its 18th annual sale on October 11 at Spier in Stellenbosch, auctioneer Henre Hablutzel will knock down 2 500 six-bottle cases to international and local bidders at notoriously high prices.