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

'60% foudre /40% concrete. Consistently an opaque red black colour. Lifted and perfumed with dried lavender, violets, fynbos and pithy black cherry notes. Another supple, vibrantly fresh, pinpoint palate with elegance and harmony but also intensity, purity and seamlessly tight knit powdery tannins and an exotic salty cassis reduction hint on the finish. A really spellbinding vintage. Love it!' - Greg Sherwood MW, 97/100 (2023)

'It's remarkable to think that this is only the fourth release from this extreme, windblown site in the Swartland. Aged in foudres and concrete eggs, it's all about the intensity and focus of the fruit: dense, powerful and compact with thick tannins and the power to age. One of the Cape's very best Syrah vineyards. Drink 2016-23.' - Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2015, 96/100

'The fourth vintage from this picturesque site on steep slopes. Aged in foudres and concrete eggs, it's all about the intensity and focus of the fruit focused, dense and compact with thick tannins and the power and structure to age. A Cape classic in the making.' - Tim Atkin MW, Decanter, 96/100

'The 2013 Porseleinberg uses whole bunch fruit and is matured 60% in foudre and 40% in concrete eggs. Winemaker Callie Louw has fashioned a wine that has a very composed, quite intense and voluminous bouquet - black cherries and iris, with less of the violets and more a brooding marine influence that with aeration takes control of the aromatics. The delineation here is very impressive. The palate is grippy on the entry, the terroir permeating this Syrah from start to finish. With a Cornas-like brutishness counterpoised with stunning delineation and focus, this is a serious Syrah for the Syrah Swartland afficionado. It has the presence to last 15-20 years and represents one of the region's best contributions to the vintage. Good luck finding a bottle! Drink 2020 - 2040.' - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 95/100 (Nov 2015)

'2013 was 60% in foudres, 40% in concrete 'egg', after whole-bunch natural ferment, while 2012 (5 stars, 98 pts) was unoaked. Lovely perfume (smoke, spice, floral) leads to supple, subtly intense palate, its fine muscular austerity matched by fruit depth; needs/deserves many years to harmonise.' - Platter's SA Wine Guide, 4.5*

'Wonderfully expressive on the nose with notes of red and black fruit, purple flowers, some smoked meat, black olive and, yes, a touch of earthiness. The palate shows good fruit concentration, fresh acidity and fine, powdery tannins. Though the alcohol by volume of 13.5% is the same as the 2012, it seems to have more heft and it's altogether less geeky.' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 94/100 (Sep 2015)

'This has a core of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit waiting to burst out, harnessed for now by graphite-edged grip. Loads of black tea, violet and anise details fill in the background, while the finish ripples with acidity. Youthfully coiled, showing superb energy throughout. Syrah. Best from 2018 through 2027.' - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 94/100 (Sep 2016)