Less than one month to the second Cape Wine Auction!
Taking the words of Nelson Mandela to heart – “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – this charity auction is dedicated entirely to raising funds to assist education in the vineyard regions of South Africa. The inaugural auction in 2014 raised over R7 million; a result that exceeded all expectations but the 2015 auction is already primed to surpass this.
All lots include special, otherwise unobtainable, bottles of South African wines; many also include the opportunity to bid for experiences such as a week-long stay in an 18th century Loire chateau (offered via Paul Cluver), a Tuscan villa (Port2Port), or a villa on the Greek island of Skianthos (Creation Wines). There’s even a lot from Richard Branson who is offering his newly-acquired Mont Rochelle hotel in Franschhoek. Perhaps you’d like to create your own personal blend with Gyles Webb of Thelema Mountain Vineyards or acquire a very rare collection of 24 vintages of historic Vin de Constance. Then again, you could strike a blow for the ‘Swartland Revolution’ with the Balthazar lot or branch out with the ‘Young Guns’ of Hemel-en-Aarde collection. These opportunities come along once, for one auction, and then are not repeated.
The events will take place over two days, kicking off with a barrel tasting on the evening of Friday 13th February, 2015, in the sculpture gardens of Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch, followed by the auction the following day in the beautiful surroundings of Boschendal Estate near Stellenbosch the ‘capital’ of the winelands.
Tempted to attend? But of course! The Cape has some of the most beautiful vineyard regions in the world, the auction is at the height of the glorious South African summer, and the exchange rate – £ sterling to the Rand – is extremely favourable for British travellers… What’s not to like?
You can buy a ticket to the entire weekend event for R3,000 (currently @ £ 170) but if you can’t drop everything to migrate south you can still participate via the online bidding line
gavelandgrand.com
‘We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give’.
Winston Churchill.
