Strauss & co - 8 June 2019 (Wine)

It is no secret that South Africa is undergoing a fine wine renaissance. Clearly the time is right to elevate South Africa’s finest wines – both old and new – to the same level of collectability as northern hemisphere wines, as well as professionalise their availability via a transparent auction platform. Strauss & Co’s Fine South African Wine Auction is a joint venture with top sommelier Higgo Jacobs and online wine merchant, Wine Cellar, both recognised industry leaders. The aim of the curated sale is simple: to present prospective buyers and collectors with a meticulously sourced catalogue of rare and esteemed South African wines. The auction process offers a transparent, structured and sustainable model for affirming the status of our very finest wines. Each sale will be underpinned by the application of strict criteria with regard to quality, provenance and rarity. Our inaugural auction, which features 183 lots, includes a 4 x 6-bottle lots of Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2015, the first local wine to receive a perfect score in British wine judge Tim Atkin’s annual report on the South African wine industry. The sale also includes rare and mysterious GS 1966 Cabernet, created by George Spies and given a perfect score from wine critic Jancis Robinson. This new venture is a natural fit for Strauss & Co, which has earned its reputation as South Africa’s foremost auction house through diligence, passion and innovation. On the subject of passion, family aside, my two great loves are art and wine. I am excited to participate in the process of championing our remarkable wines. I have no doubt that Strauss & Co’s Fine South African Wine Auction will play a key role in securing their collectability, now and into the future. Introduction iv