Johannesburg Auction Week
Live Virtual Auction, 6 November 2022
Coats Family Cellar | Iconic Bordeaux
About the SessionThe 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.
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About this Item
Amongst the many acclaimed wines that are produced from the age-old vineyards of Saint-Émilion, few are as sought-after as those of Château Cheval Blanc. Vines have been grown at the place named Cheval Blanc for centuries and the vineyard of Saint-Emilion has produced wines of outstanding quality year after year, decade after decade, since late antiquity… they are some of the most acclaimed in the world – and the mythical Château Cheval Blanc is at their forefront. Château Cheval Blanc is arguably the most famous estate in Saint-Émilion and obtained the highest distinction of Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” in 1954. The estate comprises 39 hectares of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, in near-equal amounts, expertly harnessing and honouring the historic terroir of the area. Cheval Blanc is a member of the exclusive “Club of 9” comprising the first growths of Bordeaux, and produces one of the world’s best Cabernet Franc-based wines.
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
'Here is another great bottle of Cheval Blanc to follow last year's one, although now the 1990 looks to be exiting its slipstream to become the Cheval de choix. The bouquet is vibrant and animated with scents of kirsch, macerated red cherries, a smear of boot polish and sloes. It is hedonistic yet controlled. The palate is medium-bodied with a slight viscosity on the entry, retaining the lavishness and opulence that distinguishes it from the rest. There is plenty of glycerin towards the finish and you can see it cruising along for the next decade or two without losing its glow.’ - Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 95/100 (Feb 2014)
'Penetrating aromas of strawberry jam, raspberry, red cherry, orange peel, flowers and minerals. Enters bright, dense and linear, with very pure flavors of red cherry, citrus, minerals, marzipan and subtle herbs. Finishes very long and pure, with a strong peppery note, a lingering coffee nuance, and chewy, mounting tannins. Complex and multilayered, this is a very impressive wine, magically combining fleshy depth and pure aromas and flavors without being overripe or heavy.’ - Ian D’Agata, Vinous, 96/100 (Oct 2011)
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