Featuring sought-after Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Rioja, Ribera del Duero and more. Strauss & Co are proud to offer an exquisite list of wines from three great wine-producing nations in Italy, Spain and Portugal. The auction features an impressive range of entry points from approachable younger wines to long-aging, classic vintages.
The majority of the 233 lots going under the hammer are from the collection of the late David Brice — a respected wine connoisseur, collector and co-founder of Brice and Burnett – The Fine Wine Specialists (formerly Wine Cellar). His lifelong passion for wine from all corners of the world and in particular wines that complement good food has informed this collection of Iberian and Italian greats. David’s work with bringing fine wines to South Africa, and his generosity to share with others, helped develop a culture of fine wine locally.
The auction also includes lots from two other private collectors. The majority of wines were professionally imported under refrigeration and carefully stored at Brice and Burnett thereafter.
‘Many of the producers are not available in South Africa, providing an excellent buying opportunity and chance to drink rare, charactered and delicious wines.’ – Roland Peens, Strauss & Co Wine Specialist.
Italy
Italy dominates the auction and is led by a considerable depth of Tuscan greats. An impressive 17 lots from Fontodi spans the full range of the estate — from the benchmark Chianti Classico through multiple vintages of Flaccianello della Pieve, their iconic Sangiovese IGT, to the crown jewel Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. Five vintages of Tignanello and a six-bottle case of Sassicaia 2017 spearhead the super Tuscan offering along with Montevertine’s Le Pergole Torte in magnum.
The jewel in the crown of Tuscan reds, Brunello di Montalcino is well represented with offerings from Il Poggione, Casanova di Neri, Silvio Nardi, and the rare Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta, covering vintages from 2001 through to 2019.
Piedmont adds significant weight with Barolo from Elio Altare across three vintages, Ceretto Brunate 2010, Paolo Scavino Cannubi 2012, Ciabot Berton, Marengo, Paolo Conterno and Pio Cesare. Similarly exciting is the range of Barbaresco, especially from the classic cellars of Produttorri del Barbaresco. A group of curated Italian Collections rounds out the Italian session, offering mixed selections ideal for those seeking range across multiple producers in a single lot.
Spain
Rioja anchors the Spanish session with a depth and breadth that rewards both the traditionalist and the modern-style enthusiast. La Rioja Alta is the most extensively represented producer, with nine lots covering Gran Reserva 904 across multiple vintages and formats, as well as the classic Reservas in Viña Ardanza, Viña Alberdi, and Viña Arana. López de Heredia offers some of the most characterful bottles in the sale — Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, Viña Cubillo, and two vintages of the rare white Viña Gravonia. These are long-aged, traditional Riojas at full maturity. Marqués de Riscal provides further depth across five lots including Gran Reserva back to 2005, while Marqués de Murrieta contributes a six-bottle case of the prestigious Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva 2010.
Sierra Cantabria delivers some of the most sought-after names in the sale. Their single-vineyard Amancio across 2002 and 2007, the Finca El Bosque, and the Colección Privada 2003 represent the very top of the Rioja hierarchy. Teso La Monja’s Alabaster — from the Toro appellation — is a striking, concentrated wine from a high-altitude estate and appears across two vintages.
“When measured against other established fine wine regions in Europe, Rioja offers similar history, pedigree and reverence at a fraction of the price. Any serious wine collection needs to include Spain’s finest reds” – Higgo Jacobs, Strauss & Co Wine Specialist
Two of Ribera del Duero’s benchmark producers are represented in a three-bottle lot of Alion from Vega Sicilia, while Aalto contributes six lots spanning 2006 to 2017 in both standard and magnum formats.
Portugal
Portugal is represented almost entirely by the Douro Valley, with Niepoort leading the offering. The estate’s range appears in unusually complete form — Redoma Branco across two vintages, Redoma Tinto in 2005 and a full six-bottle case from 2010, Vertente, and the Drink Me Kali Tinto 2019. Taken together these lots offer a genuine survey of one of Portugal’s most thoughtful producers across different styles and price points.
A small but powerful offering of Ports round out the catalogue, with beautifully mature 1985s from Feuerheerd’s and younger offerings from Graham’s, Niepoort and Quinta de la Rosa. Finally, a fifteen-year-old Madeira Malvasia from Henriques & Henriques offers interest for the discerning buyer.
The Italy, Spain and Portugal auction closes on Monday, 20 July from 6pm at one-minute intervals.
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