Rhône-Style Wines
Timed Online Auction, 28 January - 9 February 2026
The Distinguished Cellar of David Brice: A Rhône Collection
About the SessionThe 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.
About this Item
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
'Bright ruby. Highly expressive aromas of raspberry, cherry, lavender, smoked meat and minerals. Racy and sharply focused, with juicy red and dark berry flavors, silky texture and a gentle candied floral quality. Impressively pure and balanced, with outstanding finishing clarity and lingering sweetness. Does this ever really finish? By no means a blockbuster, but delivers very serious palate impact.'- Josh Raynolds, Vinous, 95/100 (Jan 2009)
'Still quite a healthy crimson hue even if it is now a little see-through. Complex, even rather surly nose initially. Interesting to taste this alongside Dom Sainte-Rose's 2003 La Garrigue which is currently rather more expressive. Hugely sweet and smooth on the palate though and really rather glorious in the range of flavours it offers. Herbs and spices and, most of all, really long.' - Jancis Robinson MW, Jancis Robinson.com, 17++/20 (Aug 2022)
'From the normal tiny yields of this estate (on the order of 22 hectoliters per hectare), the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape from Paul-Vincent has shed its baby fat and now shows a supple, elegant, seamless profile that's hard to resist. Kirsch, licorice, garrigue and sweet spice all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced 2006. It benefits from a short decant, and while showing plenty of maturity, it will evolve gracefully for at least another decade.' - Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate, 95/100 (Mar 2016)
'This has terrific purity, with a stunningly pure beam of cassis holding sway over fruitcake, melted licorice and incense notes. Shows impressive density for the vintage, but this is suave, elegant and seamless through the finish, with terrific underlying minerality. Best from 2009 through 2030.' - James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 95/100 (Nov 2008)
