SOME OF South Africa's top producers are not members of the Cape Winemakers Guild. Admission is by invitation only, and some who have been invited feel that the Guild is not for them. However, most of those who are active CWG members count among the country's very best, most experienced producers, and it can be interesting to see what rare or unusual wines they come up with for sale only at the annual CWG auction – sometimes confirming what they specialise in, sometimes surprising us somewhat.
Paging through the 2025 CWG Auction catalogue, the standouts include a Saldanha Pale Dry [Sherry] from Adi Badenhorst, a Pinotage from Chenin maestro Sebastian Beaumont and a Chenin from Shiraz specialist Dewaldt Heyns. Whereas, on releasing the names and vintages of the 48 wines to go under the gavel on Friday 3 October and Saturday 4 October at the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, the Guild also highlighted the following: Kevin Grant's first Ataraxia Pinot Noir on auction, the first of Abrie Beeslaar's own-label wines on auction, a Pinotage of course, the first of Carl Schultz's Solo wines on auction, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and the first CWG Auction wines from Hannes Storm and John Seccombe of Thorne & Daughters, a Pinot Noir plus a Chardonnay from the former and a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blend from the latter.
One Response
We look forward to it… Some very interesting new wines!