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(Image credit: Credit Unknown)

Strong bidding during the AfrAsia Bank Cape Wine Auction in South Africa saw total sales rise by 50% on the previous year, with Vrede en Lust, Saxenburg and Paul Cluver wines among the top lots.

Auctioneer Iain Banner in full flow at the AfrAsia Bank Cape Wine Auction last weekend

Total sales from the 37 lots reached 10.56m South African rand ($910,000), said the auction’s organisers. Last year’s sale fetched 7m rand from 40 lots.

Similar to several other auctions of its kind, such as the annual Naples Winter Wine Festival auction in Florida, many of the lots included luxury travel and accommodation alongside fine wines.

But, the result is a promising sign for those seeking to improve the image of South Africa as a fine wine producer.

Top lot in the auction included 60 bottles of wines from family-owned Vrede en Lust estate in Franschhoek.

The winning bidder paid 800,000 rand for the lot, which also included eight return, business class flights from Johannesburg to the Seychelles and a three-day cruise on a brand new Powercat, with a private chef.

The second best-selling lot fetched 600,000 rand and included two signed magnums from South Africa’s Saxenburg Estate and Italy’s Tenuta del Trinoro, plus lunch at Saxenburg and week-long villa stay for four guests near to the Tuscan winey.

Close behind was ‘The Godfather Lot’, which sold for 550,000 rand and included 60 bottles of Paul Cluver Pinot Noir blended by group winemaker Andries Burger, as well as a week-long stay in an 18th century chateau in France’s Loire Valley.

All proceeds from the AfrAsia Bank Cape Wine Auction will go to education charities in South Africa’s Western Cape.

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Written by Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.