STRAUSS & Co’s 2021 ‘Cape Heritage’ Fine Wine Auction focused on Chenin Blanc and Pinotage. The online sale also listed red and white blends, including a rare old beauty regarded as one of the benchmarks of yesteryear. For some the 1957 Chateau Libertas was the standout, fetching the highest price on the day of R17 588 for a single bottle from the Winshaw family’s cellar in Stellenbosch. For others it was the Chenin ‘shootout’ between Eben Sadie and Chris Alheit, based outside Malmesbury and Hermanus respectively but sourcing their grapes from various quarters of South Africa’s winelands.

Both from old vineyards, Sadie’s Mev/Mrs Kirsten using Stellenbosch grapes was again the SA Chenin in most demand ahead of his Skurfberg from fruit grown up the West Coast, WO Olifants River. Whereas Alheit starred with his considerably younger Radio Lazarus (WO Bottelary-Stellenbosch), Huilkrans and Magnetic North (both WO Citrusdal Mountain).

When it came to the Pinotage on offer, it was pretty much a repeat of the Kanonkop roadshow we’ve become familiar with – the nearest rivals in terms of grabbing bidders’ attention being producers currently or previously associated with this benchmark cellar on the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, namely Beeslaar, Beyerskloof and Vriesenhof!

See below for all of the top prices fetched. For the full results, click here. 750ml bottles unless stated otherwise.

WHITE WINES

Sadie Mrs Kirsten 2007 (Chenin)
R11 725 paid for 3 bottles: R3908pb

Sadie Skurfberg 2010 (Chenin)
R21 105 paid for 6 bottles: R3517pb

Sadie Mev Kirsten 2010 (Chenin)
R9967 paid for 3 bottles: R3322pb

Alheit Radio Lazarus 2015 (Chenin)
R8208 paid for 3 bottles: R2736pb

Alheit Huilkrans 2017 (Chenin)
R11 139 paid for 6 bottles: R1856pb

Sadie Skurfberg 2016 (Chenin)
R5277 paid for 3 bottles: R1759pb

Alheit Magnetic North 2013–2018 (Chenin)
R10 553 paid for 6 bottles: R1758pb

Alheit Magnetic North 2015 (Chenin)
R8208 paid for 6 bottles: R1368pb

Eden Chenin Blanc 2015 (Raats)
R8208 paid for 6 bottles: R1368pb

Ken Forrester The FMC 2009 (Chenin)
R7622 paid for 6 bottles: R1270pb

Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2012 (Chenin)
R3518 paid for 3 bottles: R1172pb

Ken Forrester The FMC 2016 (Chenin)
R6449 paid for 6 bottles: R1074pb

Sadie Kokerboom 2015 (Semillon)
R9967 paid for 6 bottles: R1661pb

Sadie Kokerboom 2010 (Semillon)
R9380 paid for 6 bottles: R1563pb

 

Sadie Palladius 2008 (White Blend)
R6449 paid for 3 bottles: R2149pb

Sadie Palladius 2015 (White Blend)
R11 725 paid for 6 bottles: R1954pb

Sadie ‘T Voetpad 2010 (White Blend)
R5628 pid for 3 bottles: R1876pb

Sadie Palladius 2013 (White Blend)
R11 139 paid for 6 bottles: R1856pb

Sadie Skerpioen 2015 (Chenin Palomino Blend)
R9380 paid for 6 bottles: R1563pb

Alheit Cartology 2012 (Chenin Semillon Blend)
R7622 paid for 6 bottles: R1270pb

RED WINES

Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2013
R23 450 paid for 6 bottles: R3908pb

Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2012
R17 588 paid for 6 bottles: R2931pb

Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2014
R16 415 paid for 6 bottles: R2735pb

Beeslaar Pinotage 2013
R10 553 paid for 6 bottles: R1758pb

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2015
R10 553 paid for 6 bottles: R1758pb

Kanonkop Pinotage 2003
R10 553 paid for 6 bottles: R1758pb

Beeslaar Pinotage 2015
R9380 paid for 6 bottles: R1563pb

Vriesenhof Limited Release 2007 (Pinotage)
R9380 paid for 6 bottles: R1563pb

Grangehurst Pinotage 1995
R3518 paid for 3 bottles: R1172pb

L’Avenir Single Block Pinotage 2009
R6449 paid for 6 bottles: R1074pb

Kanonkop Pinotage 2001
R7035 paid for 1×5000L bottle: R1055 / 750ml

 

Sadie Treinspoor 2015 (Tinta Barocca)
R4456 paid for 3 bottles: R1485pb

 

Chateau Libertas 1957 (Red Blend)
R17 588 paid for 1 bottle

KWV Roodeberg 1987 (Red Blend)
R11 139 paid for 4 bottles: R2784pb

Niepoort & Sadie Cape Charme 2008 (Red Blend)
R15 243 paid for 6 bottles: R2540pb

Beyerskloof Faith 2015 (Cape Blend)
R6449 paid for 6 bottles: R1074pb