Nederburg Auction - charity appeal to all
Tuesday, 30 March, 2004
Jenny McQueen
Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa
An Auction catalogue collection, rare local and foreign wines, the wine wares of leading legendary winemaking women, a barrel of Shiraz and gourmet dining excursions are the stuff that guests at the Nederburg Auction on April 2 & 3 will bid for in aid of a good cause – the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa.
The Nederburg charity sale which forms part of the official catalogue of the annual Nederburg Auction has raised more than R1,6 million for the Hospice’s Development Fund in the past 13 years.
It is held at the close of the official Auction – and is open to all guests to bid.
In celebration of the 30th Nederburg Auction, a complete set – possibly the only one extant - of 30 Nederburg Auction catalogues, signed by auctioneer Patrick Grubb, has been donated by Cape Wine Master Dave Johnson, who was auction manager in 1982, and is today owner of a successful wine business, Newton Johnson Wines in Hermanus.
Probably one of the most popular items and sure to get the paddles up high will be a 300-litre barrel Nederburg Shiraz 2004 in celebration of the 30th auction. After it has spent six months of maturation in the barrel, the successful bidder will be invited to bring 10 other friends to taste the development of the wine at a six-course dinner hosted by cellarmaster Razvan Macici in the Nederburg manor house later this year. Once the wine has completed its maturation, it will be bottled in a variety of bottle sizes, with a special label.
From the youngest wine to the oldest item on offer is a bottle of 1830 Malmsey – Quinta do Serrado from the Henriques family estate in Madeira is being donated by auctioneer Patrick Grubb.
Four magnums of the rare 1982 Rustenberg Cabernet Sauvignon, that fetched R4 200, the highest price for a red wine on the 1997 Auction, has been donated by Simon Barlow. This was hailed as one of the best wines ever made locally.
To mark the contribution that women winemakers have made to the wine industry internationally, Norma Ratcliffe who celebrates 40 years at Warwick Estate this year has put together a wine trilogy – a collection of her own South African wines, and those of Zelma Long of California and May de Lencquesaing, this year’s guest speaker from France.
Norma has donated her La Femme Bleue Cabernet Sauvignon 1984, the Warwick CWG Cabernet Franc 1999, Warwick Trilogy 1998 and Warwick Three Cape Ladies 1998 to the good cause.
As part of the trilogy collection former guest speaker in 2001 Zelma Long of California has donated the Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon 1974, where she was the first woman winemaker in California, Simi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 1990, Long Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 and Long Vineyards 25th Anniversary Chardonnay 2001.
Interestingly both May de Lencquesaing and Zelma Long have both fallen in love with South Africa, so much so they have both established their own wineries here.
May de Lencquesaing from Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, this year’s guest speaker has four vintages 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 from her Bordeaux estate which completes the trilogy of ladies.
In addition, as is customary for the guest speaker at each auction, she has donated a double magnum of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1995.
Wining, dining and good company – are the key elements for a memorable occasion with fine dining experiences being donated by Graham Beck Wines, Hartenberg and Plaisir de Merle.
Cellarmasters Pieter Ferreira and Charles Hopkins will prepare a special dinner for six in the Barrel room of the Graham Beck cellar in Franschhoek, including a vertical tasting of Graham Beck MCC sparkling wines and Graham Beck Shiraz.
James and Tanya Brown of Hartenberg have roped in renowned chef Christophe Dehosse, now at the Joostenberg Bistro, to prepare a six-course luncheon for eight people at their estate in springtime. Each course will be matched with one local and one top foreign wine. The invitation to this lunch comes in the form of a rare 1,5 litre bottle of Hartenberg Estate Merlot 2000.
To celebrate the 10th birthday of its winery Plaisir de Merle invites the successful bidder and five guests to a tasting followed by a gourmet dinner and an overnight stay at the beautiful manor house dating back to 1764, followed by a brunch the next day.
Stellenzicht’s cellarmaster Guy Webber will treat the successful bidder and nine friends to a tasting of Stellenzicht Syrah wines from 1994 to 2004 in the barrel cellar, followed by a three-course dinner matching the wine to each course.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Nederburg Auction, Nederburg embarked on a fundraising event of a different nature when it invited ten enthusiastic winewriters to take part in a blending competition to create a very special white wine – Nederburg Amateur 2003 - that will be sold in aid of Mothers To Mothers. Bidding on Saturday, 3 April will open with 50 cases.
The proceeds will go towards opening the 13th branch of a Mothers To Mothers site in Paarl. M2M is an NGO that uses a mentoring system providing health care, psychological and practical support as well as job training for HIV-positive mothers.
The giving doesn’t stop there. When the 2004 Auction is over, there is still another opportunity for the wider public to attend a fashion show in aid of the Organ Donor Foundation on Sunday, April 4 at Nederburg.
For bookings and more information +27 (0) 21 426-0198
Issued by: Jenny McQueen & Associates on behalf of Nederburg Auction
Contact: Bennie Howard
Tel: +27 (0) 21 808-7911
Jenny McQueen & Associates
Tel: +27 (0) 21 439-5063