Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese 2016

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.

David celebrated the variation of vintage but also took advantage of great vintages. Over the last 10 years the 2016s have proven to be one of the greatest modern-day Bordeaux vintages, on par or superior to the likes of 2010, 2009 or 2005. Across Bordeaux, the wines are structured and pure combining exotic notes and sweet fruit. As part of our annual 10-year auction, we showcase 2016 Bordeaux vintage which will delight over many decades, especially in large format. David also bought the highly regarded Italian vintage, which produced exceptional wines in Piedmont and Tuscany especially.

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

‘Laser-like acidity and a deep mineral backbone lends precision to this impressive auslese. It's a vibrantly fresh wine full of cutting peach and grapefruit nectar, but glazed by hints of caramel, earth and pollen. The finish is long and undulating. It drinks gloriously already but will improve through 2030, hold much longer.’ - Anna Lee C. Iijima, Wine Enthusiast, 95/100 (Aug 2018)

‘The haunting, high-toned nose offers pistachio and almond extracts, quince and white peach preserves, accompanied by saline, alkaline, kelp-laced ocean breeze. A corresponding complexity of nut extracts fruit preserves and marine minerality emerges on the glossy, glycerol-slicked palate, along with mouthwatering, elusively meaty suggestions of urchin roe. The similarly multi-faceted finish is superbly-sustained. There is such a glycerol-rich and soothing aspect to this performance that initially one doesn’t notice how efficacious are its acids - until their brightness registers in the finish, or until one glances at the wine’s analysis and realizes how uncannily its high sugar is counteracted. 2018-2046’ - David Schildknecht, Vinous, 95/100 (Aug 2017)