Wine of the week: An exciting South African wine auction

The 38th Nederburg Auction is taking place in Paarl, South Africa, on 28 and 29 September. This exciting event showcases some of the greatest wines made in the country and it gives you the opportunity to buy them at what I consider to be very advantageous prices indeed.

I am assured that foreign buyers will be given advice on how to claim their booty and ship it back to their shores, so with this in mind, here are a few of the lots which I have already had a sneak preview of.

Item 87 2007 Zonnebloem Limited Edition Semillon: serious fruit, depth and weight with stunning lime notes. There are 40 cases of six bottles in different lot sizes, with the reserve price of ZAR400 per six bottles (£30 in today's money, ie, a fiver a bottle).

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Item 127 - 2004 Nederburg Private Bin R181 Merlot: a cunning blend of Durbanville and Stellenbosch fruit with classy detail, a touch of spearmint and great balance; 100 cases of 12 bottles available (reserve price ZAR840 £63).

Item 29 2004 Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur: an outstanding chenin blanc sweetie with apricot and honey nuances and a heavenly, magical finish; 30 cases of 12 half bottles are up for sale, with a reserve price of ZAR1200 (£7.50 per half).

If you really want to splash out, then these wines have been released from the secret Tabernacle cellar' 1962 Chateau Libertas (item 2) and 1968 Chateau Libertas (item 144). I was lucky enough to taste a 1940 and a 1957 vintage the other day and they were incredible.

There are 158 lots or items' auctioned over the two days so check out the catalogue at www.nederburgauction.co.za and then drop the organisers a line if you are feeling like a flutter!

Matthew Jukes has been the MoneyWeek wine correspondent since 2006.

He has worked in the UK wine business for well over three decades and during this time has written 14 wine books. His four highly-acclaimed, annual wine reports – the Burgundy En Primeur Report, the Bordeaux En Primeur Report, the Piemonte Report and the 100 Best Australian Wines – are published on his website.

Matthew is a winner of the International Wine and Spirit Competition's Communicator of the Year Trophy. His thoughts, recommendations and tastings notes are followed very closely by the wine world at large.