Provenance

The Coats Family Cellar is arguably the most prestigious fine wine collection ever offered in South Africa. It contains a deep collection of the worlds finest, most sought-after wines, spanning over 150 years. Collected over many decades, the cellar was imported from Ireland to South Africa via reefer. Each bottle within the Coats Family Cellar was authenticated by Michael Egan in August 2022 and given an ID number for tracking.

Michael Egan is a world-expert in fine and rare wines with more than thirty five years of experience. He was the principal expert for the plaintiff in the two major wine counterfeiting trials in Koch v. Eric Greenberg and United States v. Rudy Kurniawan, both of which occurred in 2013.

Along with Michael Egan, the Strauss & Co Fine Wine team have tasted extensively through the cellar and are confident of the wine storage and hence quality. The entire collection is currently stored at Wine Cellar.

Critics Ratings

‘The '99 Bèze just continues to get better and better with every passing year. A flat out gorgeously complex nose is comprised by spice, earth, minerality and still fresh red and black pinot fruit aromas. There is excellent richness to the intense and beautifully well-delineated medium-bodied flavors that are blessed with plenty of mouth coating dry extract that confers a seductive texture onto the strikingly persistent finish. Like the '99 Chambertin, while this could be drunk now I would strongly advise holding it for at least another 5 years and 10 would probably be better. Tasted many times and this only seems to go from strength to strength. In a word, exquisite. Tasted twice in both 2016 and 2017 with multiple and consistent notes since release.’ – Allen Meadows, Burghound.com, 97/100 (Jul 2017)

‘Good colour. Slightly more aromatic on the nose than their Chambertin. Higher-toned. Less backbone, tannin and structure. Very lovely fruit. Fullish, rich. Balanced and very, very lovely. The Chambertin is better, as it always is. But this is more approachable today. Very fine indeed.’ – Clive Coats, Decanter.com, 96/100 (Feb 2018)

‘Full ruby-red. Extraordinarily perfumed, profound nose combines tangy black raspberry, rose petal, coffee and game; essence of Cote de Nuits pinot noir. Lush, sweet and seamless; wonderfully silky and aromatic in the mouth. Truly palate-staining wine, with compelling sweetness and smooth, thoroughly buffered tannins.’ - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 94+/100 (Mar 2002)

‘The medium to dark ruby-colored 1999 Chambertin Clos de Bèze has a beguiling perfume of red cherry and violet. It is medium to full-bodied, elegant, and unctuously textured. This juicy, sweet red cherry, currant, and raspberry-flavored wine has impeccably ripened tannins detectable in its exceptionally long and delineated finish. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2012.’ - Pierre Rovani, Wine Advocate, 92-95/100 (Aug 2001)