THE R43 244 fetched for a single bottle of the 1966 GS Cabernet at the Strauss & Co auction in Johannesburg on 15 May 2022 was the second-highest price ever paid for this wine – the highest being R91 040, fetched in a sale conducted by the same auction house in September 2021. The occasion this time round was the gathering of bidders vying for wines from the private collections of veteran Cape Town foodie Peter Veldsman and Dirkie Christowitz, synonymous with Port and Muscadel from Monis of Paarl in the late 1990s.

There were numerous wanna-haves up for grabs on the day, and besides some big-name Champagnes, most attention was on the South African legends Eben Sadie (Swartland), Kanonkop (Stellenbosch), Vin de Constance (Constantia) and the Cabernet Sauvignon made by George Spies back in the day.

From the auction catalogue: “The GS Cabernet was an experiment by George Spies, then winemaker at Monis, in 1966 and 1968. His aim was to produce a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that had the ability to age, which was not common at the time. There is a mystery surrounding the winemaking, reportedly sourced from Durbanville. The bottles were given away by Spies, reportedly very tannic and rustic in its youth. As the wine matured, rare bottles became recognised by pundits such as Michael Fridjhon [South Africa] and James Molesworth of Wine Spectator [USA]. Today, there can’t be more than two dozen pristine bottles in existence.”

Scored 20/20 in 2011 by leading UK wine critic Jancis Robinson MW: “A truly iconic wine… Absolutely stunning – such a beautiful combination of maturity and delicacy – but with far more fruit integrity than most 1966 red Bordeaux would have now… Lightly minty, fragrant, and it spread right across the palate with satin texture. Gorgeous…”

See below for the SA wines auctioned for over R2000pb, including the buyer’s premium and VAT. For full details of the sale, click here.

TOP PRICES PAID FOR REDS

GS Cabernet 1966
R43 244 paid for 1x750ml

GS Cabernet 1968
R16 415 paid for 1x750ml

Columella 2000 (Red Blend, Sadie Family)
R15 243 paid for 2x750ml: R7621pb

Columella 2006 (Red Blend, Sadie Family)
R18 760 paid for 3x750ml: R6253pb

Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2004 (Red Blend)
R25 036 paid for 5x750ml: R5007pb

Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 1965
R2932 paid for 1x750ml

Vilafonté Series C 2004
R5863 paid for 2x750ml: R2931pb

Vilafonté Series C 2005
R11 725 paid for 4x750ml: R2931pb

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2001
R9380 paid for 4x750ml: R2345pb

TOP PRICES PAID FOR SWEETS

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1993
R6449 paid for 1x500ml: R9673 per 750ml

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1995
R6449 paid for 1x500ml: R9673 per 750ml

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1997
R6449 paid for 1x500ml: R9673 per 750ml

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1992
R11 725 paid for 2x500ml: R8794 per 750ml

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 1999
R11 139 paid for 3x500ml: R5569 per 750ml

Monis Collector’s Port 1948
R10 553 paid for 2x750ml: R5276pb

Deetlefs Phillipus Petrus Muscat d’Alexandrie 1974
R4690 paid for 2x375ml

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2004
R14 070 paid for 5x500ml: R4221 per 750ml

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2002
R16 415 paid for 6x500ml: R4104 per 750ml

Monis Collector’s Port 1961 (Ceramic Decanters, 300th Anniversary of Paarl)
R14 070 paid for 6x750ml: R2345pb