Strauss & co - Review 2024

28 29 CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT 2024 CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT 2024 Flourishing wine department achieves top results Strauss & Co’s wine department enjoyed another successful year, confirming our faith in this joint venture as a reliable value category for the company. Contrary to what critics predicted in 2019, this department continues to establish benchmark prices for collectable South African wines. In 2024 we hosted 11 auctions that introduced three magnificent private cellars and many mature and rare South African and international wines to the local market for the first time. Strauss & Co set a record for a modern-day Constantia wine with the sale of a 1986 Klein Contantia Vin de Constance for R58 625. Never released to the market, the extremely rare 1986 wine has not been sold since 2019. A second bottle of the 1986 achieved R56 280, underscoring the vintage’s importance. Contemporary South African wines are increasingly wowing international aficionados. We offered a 100 Points Score Col- lection of six South African wines awarded perfect scores by esteemed international judges. The 18-bottle lot (6 x 3) from Sadie Family, Porseleinberg, Mullineux and Boschkloof sold for R82 075, or R4 560 per bottle. The annual Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Auction show- cases rare and unique wines produced in small quantities exclusively for the auction by the members of the guild. As in 2022, when Strauss & Co took the first auction, and 2023, the 2024 auction was a white-glove affair, with 100% lots sold. The auction earned R16.6m, up 11% on the previous year. Kanonkop’s CWG Paul Sauer 2021 was once again the highest grossing wine. This was the last of winemaker Abrie Beeslaar’s Kanonkop guild wines and it reached the highest price at R4 313 per 750ml, alongside the Mullineux Swartland ‘The Gris’ Old Vines Sémillon 2023. Strauss & Co also entered the fine spirits market in 2024 with aged, bespoke single casks from the leading Cape Brandy producers of Boplaas, Kaapzicht, KWV, Joseph Barry, Sydney Back and Van Ryn’s. KWV Strauss & Co Limited Edi- tion Single Varietal Pinotage Potstill Brandy achieved R3 518 per 750ml, while the Kaapzicht Strauss & Co 25 Year Old Pot- still Brandy 500ml sold for R2 931.We are delighted to bring a new dimension to an established South African tradition of brandy consumption. Klein Constantia 1986 Vin de Constance 1 (1 x 1) 500ml  Sold R56 280 / $3 148 12 august , cape heritage and the loire 100 Points Score NV, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 Collection 18 (6 x 3) 750ml and 375ml  Sold R82 075 / $4 591 15 july , single - owner private collection of fine wines from south africa , bordeaux , rhône valley , italy , spain and more