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

‘Always a classic Hermitage Blanc, the 2019 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is all Marsanne that comes mostly from vines just above the Le Méal lieu-dit, but also from the upper part of the Les Murets. A rich, medium to full-bodied beauty, it has classic Hermitage minerality as well as smoking good notes of buttered peach, quince, woodsmoke, crushed stone, and a touch of spice. It shows even more minerality on the palate and is balanced, with ample mid-palate depth and a great finish. This young, concentrated, vibrant Hermitage Blanc can be drunk over the coming 20-25 years or more.’ - Jeb Dunnuck, 95/100 (Nov 2020)

‘Blended from the lieux-dits of Les Murets, Le Méal and the loess portion of L'Ermite, the 2019 Hermitage Chante-Alouette is a ripe, rich wine marked by notes of toasty oak, pear, pineapple, melon and citrus. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky in feel across the mid-palate, then long and zesty-briny on the finish. It can be consumed young or after a decade of cellaring. 2021-2035’ - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Jan 2022)