The Cape Wine Auction 2019

... the wine event of the year approaches

Buitenverwachting

The anticipation is building and the mounting excitement in the Western Cape is almost tangible, since the dates for the 2019 Cape Wine Auction were announced. The two-day event - arguably the most anticipated happening on the province's calendar - is set to kick off with the American Express Barrel Auction on Friday, March 1, 2019, followed by the Cape Wine Auction - sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth - taking place the following day, on Saturday, March 2.

The annual event - which will celebrate its fifth anniversary next year - is a roving one, with both the Barrel Auction and the Cape Wine Auction taking place at different venues every year.

Says Cape Wine Auction Trustee Raymond Ndlovu: "We like to keep things fresh, exciting and interesting and, given that we are utterly spoilt for choice with so many beautiful venues throughout the winelands region of South Africa, we strive to indulge our guests with the enviable opportunity to discover and explore new and impressive locales."

The American Express Barrel Auction 2019 will take place at the spectacular Norval Foundation, a centre for art and cultural expression dedicated to the research and exhibition of 20th- and 21st-century visual art from South Africa and beyond. Located in the Steenberg area of Cape Town, adjacent to Table Mountain National Park, the Norval Foundation combines the experience of art with an appreciation for nature. The innovative Sculpture Garden, outdoor amphitheatre, purpose-built exhibition spaces and research library are situated in a unique setting that offers visitors a multisensory experience.

Norval Foundation

The main event - The Cape Wine Auction - sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth - will be held at the stunning Buitenverwachting estate, a beautiful farm on the east-facing slopes of the magnificent Constantiaberg, barely 12km from False Bay, which originally formed part of the Constantia Estate, founded by Simon van der Stel, the first Governor of the Cape.

As with previous years, guests are anticipated from across South Africa and as far afield as the USA, Germany, the UK and Scandinavia where they can expect to be treated to the finest cuisine, prepared by some of South Africa’s leading chefs, as well as limited edition wines and live music performances.

In a remarkable show of generosity the Cape Wine Auction this year raised over R17 million, with every cent from the proceeds raised allocated to the 27 beneficiaries which fall under the Cape Wine Auction Trust - charities which make a profound impact on the lives and education of children in the Cape Winelands.

Says Cape Wine Auction Director, Darielle Robertson: “We are aiming our sights even higher and at next year's events we want to exceed - quite substantially - the amount we raised this year.

"We are also very excited about our two gorgeous new venues and the amazing lots that have already started rolling in from very generous benefactors."

Indeed, Trustee Mike Ratcliffe hinted at what will probably be one of the more hotly contested lots last month when - following the Springboks' historic win over the All Blacks in Wellington - he tweeted: 'Yes, we do have a VIP #Springbok @rugbyworldcup supporters tour package as one of our prized @CapeWineAuction lots for next year #CWA2019. Details to follow.'

Tickets for the Cape Wine Auction - limited and at a cost of R7 500 per person for both events or R2 500 for the Barrel Auction evening only - can be purchased by emailing tickets@thecapewineauction.com. But book fast as tickets for this year's event were sold out in record time.

For more, go to www.thecapewineauction.com.

More About The Cape Wine Auction

Regarded as the most extraordinary international wine event to be hosted in South Africa and the leading event on the local wine calendar, the Cape Wine Auction (CWA) takes place annually over two days at different wine estates in the Western Cape. Prominent wine aficionados from around the globe, hosted by South Africa’s iconic winemakers, are invited to make a serious difference in aid of charity when the bidding opens once-in-a-lifetime offerings including rare wine collections as well as exclusive hand-selected local and international wine and gourmet and travel experiences.

For more information on the Cape Wine Auction, contact CWA director Darielle Robertson at darielle@thecapewineauction.com .

The Cape Wine Auction Trust

Established in 2014, the Cape Wine Auction Trust was created to raise money for education in the South African winelands. It is well established that the most effective method for uplifting underprivileged communities is education. This global showcase of South African wines is committed to changing people’s lives through the powerful tool of education – from cradle to career – and the Cape Wine Auction Trust has been established with a clear mandate to raise funds for education in the winelands. To date the trust assists 27 beneficiaries within the winelands. The Cape Wine Auction Trust trustees are Siobhan Thompson, Paul Cluver, Mike Ratcliffe, Ken Kinsey-Quick, Wendy Appelbaum, Raymond Ndlovu and Iain Banner.

For more information on the Cape Wine Auction Trust, contact Andi Norton at andi@thecapewineauction.com.