.: Cape Winemakers Guild tastings in Cape Town

An invitation to attend the guided tasting of some of this year’s Cape Winemakers Guild Auction wines is something we covet each year and are happy to accept. We managed to time our holiday around this. Held in the ballroom at the Westin Grand Hotel it is always well attended

The opening speech by Chairman of the CWG, Boela Gerber. He told us that this is the only wine auction world wide where the wine is made specifically for the auction. There are four major wine auctions in Cape Town each year and it is quite competitive. Having tasted these wines, we can say unreservedly that if you are a buyer of wine, whether for your own cellar, or commercially, you want to be here. The standard and quality of the wines this year is exceptional. The Auction will be held on Saturday the 5th of October at Spier Wine Estate. Open to all, contact them at www.capewinemakersguild.com Pre-registration by 18th of September 2019 is essential

Now in its 35th year -the Guild was established in 1982, and the first auction in 1985 to showcase members creativity. The Cape Winemakers Guild auction will have some exciting changes, and some exciting new wines. And this year a new auctioneer, Rick Harvey from Bonham’s has been appointed will be doing duty to the wines and hopefully getting great prices. CWG are very thankful for the support they receive from Sponsors Nedbank who have been in partnership with the Guild for 24 years

Of special mention is the transformative role they take in mentoring a new generation of winemakers through the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme where they offer three year internships. All the profits of the silent auctions go toward funding this and of course Nedbank also supports this initiative

This year we tasted 33 of the 46 wines in the tasting and later another 12 served informally in the foyer where food was served

Students from Elsenberg and Stellenbosch university do the pouring of the wines as we taste, fast and furiously. Each winemaker introduces his wine and speaks for a minute about it and its making

This is final year Elsenburg student Schalk van Deventer who poured so skilfully for our row

Bearded lads waiting to pour the next bottle of wine

After the tasting huge tables were groaning with canapés. There were scrumptious Chinese dumplings, other hot snacks

and lots of sushi. We need something to soak up the alcohol as many are then going to work or play

at the Public tasting held next door at the CTICC

Oysters go so well with MCC

And how nice to see old friend Tariro Masayiti from Springfontein in Stanford

Later at the Public tasting at the CTICC there was live music, provided by lovely cellist in a glass bubble

The public tasting is more about tasting wines from previous auction years, with a few previews

Luke Erickson of La Colombe enjoyed the De Morgenzon wines

Tom Mills of Ernie Els wines tasting De Grendel

Charles Hopkins (of De Grendel) pouring some of his nectar

David Nieuwoudt of Cederberg

David and Rita Trafford

Pieter Ferreira had really excited us all by producing the same 2014 MCC but fermented differently this one is classically fermented using a crown cap and the other was fermented under an Agrafe – a cork that is held in place with a staple until disgorging takes place. They were so different, but so good