Timed Online Auction, 28 January - 9 February 2026

Provenance

The late David Brice was a respected wine connoisseur, collector and co-founder of Wine Cellar, fine wine merchants. His lifelong passion for wine from all corners of the world wine, and generosity, helped develop a culture of fine wine in South Africa and beyond. Always with value and authenticity in mind, the collection spans a wide range of styles from leading producers and diverse regions. The wines were professionally imported under refrigeration and carefully stored at Wine Cellar thereafter. Many of the producers are not available in South Africa and provide an excellent buying opportunity.

The Rhône valley was one of David's favoured regions, known for its diverse range of reds and whites. These were quintessential French wines from excellent easy-drinking, to fine, long-term treasures. He enjoyed wines from all the villages from Vaucluse to Vacqueyras, and Cornas to Côte-Rôtie. David focused on top vintages for long-term maturation and lesser vintages for earlier drinking. The highlight perhaps is his deep collection of top Châteauneuf-du-Pape from great vintages like 2010 and 2007.

For more detailed information on the lots, please feel free to contact Roland Peens (roland@winecellar.co.za). Roland spent many years sharing and enjoying these wines with David Brice and is happy to provide further insight into the collection.

Critics Ratings

Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vielles Vignes 2009
'Even more dense and concentrated than the ’09 Les Origines is the profound 2009 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes. A blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah that’s aged for 18 months in new oak, it’s very powerful and concentrated, showing absolutely brilliant aromas of crème de cassis, blackberry, crushed flowers, graphite, dark chocolate, and licorice on the nose. Decadent and yet still complex aromatically, the wine is full-bodied and possibly the most concentrated wine in the vintage, showing full body, a thick, yet firm, focused texture, perfect balance, and masses of very fine, silky tannin. There’s no doubt a modern profile here, but I think it still shows solid southern Rhône flair and character. Bottles should be given 4-6 years of bottle age, at which point it should drink well for 20+ years. This bottle had been opened for two days, so if drinking anytime soon, open the day before and double decant.’ – Jeb Dunnuck, 97/100 (Sep 2011)

‘The most limited cuvee (350 cases) is the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah from 50-100 year old vines located in the northern sector of the appellation). Its opaque purple color is accompanied by a gorgeous perfume of graphite, truffles, damp earth, cassis, kirsch, licorice and spice box. Despite the fact that it sees a lot of new oak, it reveals no evidence of wood. The fruit dominates in this quintessential, classic, full-bodied, powerful, massive as well as surprisingly pure and elegant Chateauneuf du Pape. Unlike most examples, the precociousness and suppleness of the 2009 vintage have given this wine a more forward appeal, although it still needs 2-3 years of cellaring. Drink it over the following 25-30 years. 2011-2041’ - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate, 96/100 (Oct 2011)

‘A prodigious effort, the 2009 Vieilles Vignes from Grand Veneur includes a whopping 40% Mourvèdre in the blend (there’s also 10% Syrah, with the balance being Grenache), which no doubt accounts for its dark flavor profile. This is a full-bodied, lushly textured, expansive wine, with a finish that seems to go on forever.’ - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast, 95/100 (Jul 2012)

Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vielles Vignes 2007
‘The newest special cuvee (introduced in 2006) is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah). Made from 50- to 100+-year-old vines and aged 18 months in small oak barrels, it is potentially one of the longest lived wines of the vintage. This exquisite, dense purple-colored effort reveals intense but restrained notes of cassis, kirsch, lavender, licorice, and graphite. A wine of great intensity as well as remarkable finesse and elegance, is a full-bodied Chateauneuf that will require plenty of patience. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 25-30. 2012-2042’ - Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate, 98+/100 (Oct 2009)

‘A massive wine and even more concentrated than the Les Origines, the 2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes shows decadent, rich notes of cassis, blackberry, roasted meat, licorice and espresso. The palate is full bodied with serious fruit, fresh acidity, upfront structure and a blockbuster finish.’ – Jeb Dunnuck, 96/100 (Aug 2009)

'This juicy, gorgeously fruity wine boasts pristine blackberry and mulberry flavors. While lavish in body and concentration, it's nuanced by elegant shades of dried sage, granite and refreshing acidity. Its ripe, persistent tannins should melt nicely over the next 3–5 years.’ - Anna Lee C. Iijima, Wine Enthusiast, 91/100 (Jul 2018)