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

‘The nose is subtle and elusive with notes of cherry, cranberry, olive, white pepper, coriander and fynbos. The palate shows extraordinary purity and freshness while the tannins are super-fine. Lovely fruit upfront before an intensely savoury finish. It’s sophisticated but not too severe and gives real pleasure.’ - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 97/100 (Sep 2018)

‘The 2017 Estate Reserve Syrah comes entirely from Greyton, 40% whole cluster and aged in 500-liter barrels with 40% new oak. It has a very refined, perfumed bouquet of red cherries, crushed strawberry, broom, iris and a touch of potpourri. The palate is very well balanced, offering fine tannin on the entry, good weight in the mouth and blackberry, blueberry, clove, star anise and light fennel notes toward the finish. There is very good length here, but it needs another year or two in bottle to fully coalesce. Great potential. 2020-2035’ -Neal Martin, Vinous, 93+/100 (Aug 2018)

‘There’s dark fruit, peony, intense Syrah perfume with a minor note of pepper. Opens up to a touch of black olive, which I guess will increase with time in bottle. Acidity is pronounced yet harmonious, the texture fine and the whole is pure fruit because the oak is a hidden support. Mouth-wateringly good and very persistent. 2020-2030’ - Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com, 18/20 (Sep 2019)