South African Nederburg auction has a record breaking year

By Erin Smith

Published: 11 September, 2013

The Nederburg Auction, South Africa's leading annual wine auction, saw record prices paid per litre of wine at this year's auction held on September 6 and 7.

Last weekend's auction saw prices increase by as much as 91% compared with the previous year.

But although price paid per litre was the highest its ever been, the overall average spend was down this year, raising a total of just over £275,00. The number is significantly lower compared to amounts raised in previous years, but this part of an overall shift in strategy for the auction this year.

The selection panel's approach to searching for distinctive wines with a rarity factor resulted in 24 fewer wines being put up for auction this year and a significant reduction in total volumes on offer from last year - from 28,000 litres in 2012 to just over 12,000 litres in 2013.

The first auction was held in 1975 when there was 15 wines on offer from five participants. The 2013 collection included 72 red wines, 36 white wines, one Méthod Cap Classique, eight dessert wines and 15 fortified wines.

Highlights included three bottles of 1973 Zonnebloem Cabernet sold for £1,400 and a six-bottle case of 1948 Monis Collectors Port £900.

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