The 2010 Nederburg Auction saw sales of R5.6-million - the first increase in five years. The "back to business" format of the annual two-day event saw 161 rare wines go under the hammer of Anthony Barne of Bonhams, the British auction house.

Some of the highest prices paid were for a case of six bottles of 1964 Nederburg Port, costing R62000, by Nigerian Obi Josephat Ndibe, and R5200 for three bottles of 1972 Groot Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon.

Once again supermarket group Spar was the top buyer, closely followed by Checkers and British-based Tesco Wine.

Carina Gous, director of auction organisers Distell's wine division, attributed the increase to the effort which went into sourcing "rare, well matured wines" and wooing the "right buyers". About 70% of sales were by South Africans and 21% from outside South Africa's borders.

"We had new buyers from Finland, Hong Kong and Ghana," Gous said. "Tesco bought double the amount of the previous year for their wine club."

Barne said he was delighted to have up to 15 buyers hoisting their paddles when he offered up a wine. "I thoroughly enjoyed it and was interested to note that things have moved on in South Africa - 20 years ago you were only associated with Chenin Blanc, now it is not so popular."

While numbers of unsold lots were down on last year, there were some disappointed winemakers, including Mike Ratcliffe of Vilafonte, whose Series C did not achieve its reserve price.