UNLIKE the annual Nederburg Auction of rare South African wines in Paarl, the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction of rare South African wines at Spier in Stellenbosch is open to anybody and offers limited releases made exclusively for sale at this event and packaged as such – with no reserve prices. These are mostly young wines, some special cellar- or vineyard-selections, some experimental productions, small quantities of top quality from winemakers considered by their peers to be among the best in the country – guild membership is by invitation.

Although all of the 61 wines to come under the hammer at the 33rd CWG Auction on Saturday 30 September 2017 have been subjected to the scrutiny of the guild’s selection committee, very few have been or will ever be submitted for assessment by panels of show judges or the teams assembled by wine guide and magazine publishers. It might be helpful, therefore, to consider the winemakers’ areas of speciality and their track records in various categories:

TOP WINE SA RECOMMENDATIONS

Adi Badenhorst and Duncan Savage Love Boat White 2016 (Blend)
Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2016
Beaumont Chenin Blanc Demi-Sec 2016
Beyerskloof CWG Traildust Pinotage 2015
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2015
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Auction Reserve 2015
Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah 2015
Bouchard Finlayson Auction Reserve Pinot Noir 2012
Cederberg Teen Die Hoog Shiraz 2015
De Grendel Wooded Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Etienne le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Auction Reserve 2014
Ernie Els CWG 2015 (Red Blend)
Gottfried Mocke Pinot Noir 2016
Hartenberg CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Hartenberg CWG Auction Shiraz 2014
Johan Joubert Granite Selection Chenin Blanc 2016
Jordan CWG Chardonnay 2016
Jordan Sophia 2014 (Red Blend)
Kaapzicht The Ultimate Vision 2015 (Red Blend)
Kanonkop CWG Paul Sauer 2014 (Red Blend)
Kanonkop CWG Pinotage 2015
Miles Mossop Saskia-Jo 2014 (White Blend)
Mullineux Trifecta Chenin Blanc 2014
Newton Johnson Seadragon Pinot Noir 2015
Newton Johnson Windansea Pinot Noir 2016
Paul Cluver Auction Selection Pinot Noir 2015
Paul Cluver The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2016
Rijk’s CWG Chenin Blanc 2015
Rijk’s CWG Pinotage 2014
Rust en Vrede CWG Auction Estate 2014 (Red Blend)
Saronsberg Die Erf Shiraz 2014
Silverthorn Big Dog III Méthode Cap Classique 2012 (Sparkling)
Spier Auction Selection Frans K Smit 2013 (Red Blend)
Teddy Hall Hendrik Biebouw Chenin Blanc 2015
Tokara Tribute Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

For the complete catalogue of wines inclusive of bottle sizes, case sizes, lot sizes, total quantities, analyses and winemakers’ notes as well as information pertaining to conditions of sale and the various events associated with the auction, see here.