Some are there because of their age; others because of their sense of occasion. Whatever the reason for their extraordinariness, you’ll find a piece of bottled exceptionality in this year’s Nederburg Auction Private Collection category, which opens the second day’s bidding at this year’s event on September 16 and 17 at Nederburg in Paarl.

Introduced for the first time, the Private Collection category serves to accommodate exceptional wines that are available in extremely small quantities, from producers who have literally been treasuring their last few bottles for an event such as this. “Each wine included in this year’s selection of 14 items has an original story to tell that enhances the rarity, uniqueness and collectability of these wines”; says Nederburg Auction business manager Dalene Steyn.

A perfect example is the 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon from Rustenberg, the last vintage made by this winery’s former owner/winemaker Reg Merriman Nicholson, and which, according to current owner Simon Barlow, was probably his best. “Most of this wine was in fact consumed at my sister’s wedding – we do not even have a bottle in our wine library at Rustenberg, so it is extremely rare indeed”. Simon believes that it is vintages like this one that show South Africa can make world class wines – a great reason to perhaps bid on the item himself, as he comments (insert YouTube link to video).

An item that underpins the ultimate sense of occasion, marking a monumental period in our nation’s history, was specially bottled for the inauguration of former president Nelson Mandela. The 1994 Graham Beck MCC was made by Pieter Ferreira and is not easily available on the open market. One case of four 1.5 litre bottles, at a reserve price of R1 000, will be sold.

One of the oldest South African bottled wines still available that features in the Private Collection line up is a spritely 1930 Red Muscadel Jerepigo from KWV. Despite its age, this wine still displays an astonishing freshness with an amazing array of flavours, including spicy and herbal naunces. Just six bottles of this 81-year-old wine will be offered at a reserve price of R1 200. Staying with the ‘grandfathers’ of South African wines, a fantastic matured wine from the 60s comes from Chateau Libertas, the original trendsetter for blended natural wines in South Africa more than 70 years ago. One case of just three bottles of the 1961 vintage, at a reserve price of R3 000, will be sold.

Dalene concludes; “Buyers who bid on the Private Collection wines at the start of the Saturday auction on September 17 will not only be buying a special wine – they will also be purchasing their own special piece of bottled exclusivity.”

The complete list of this year’s Private Collection wines is included in the catalogue, available for electronic download on the auction  website.