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

'A blue-blood Swartland Syrah. 2017 captivating spice, berries both fragrant and flavoursome, precise rather than showy. Little tighter than previously made 2015 but silky concentration bides time behind fine, fresh grip. So elegant, so stylish.' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2020, 5* (97/100)

'Willie Dreyer grows some of the best grapes in South Africa, so it's no surprise that this Syrah is so consistently good and is showing just as well a year after I first reviewed it. Bloody, intense and stony, with amazing focus and minerality, layered tannins, a twist of pepper and rich, savoury dark berry fruit. 2020-29.' - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2020, 95/100

'The nose is a heady mixture of black berries, olive, lavender, fynbos, coriander and white pepper while the palate shows good fruit density, fresh acidity and grippy tannins - great form and length.' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 95/100 (Nov 2019)

'This estate dates back to 1693; Leeuwenkuil means 'lion's lair'. Its Heritage Syrah is a blend of two of its best schist vineyards. Very Rhône-like in style, there's a smoky, slightly animal note hiding in the undergrowth. It's only just medium-bodied but has real impact and textural force on the palate, thanks to a fine mesh of tight tannins and precise acidity. It all pulls together on the finish like a drawstring. Should age with interest.' - Matt Walls, Decanter, 94/100 (Sep 2020)