Icons of SA wine feature alongside the world’s best at auction

The Golden Vines Fine Wine, Rare Spirit & Experience Global Online Auction — a charity auction — forms part of the inaugural annual Golden Vines Award Ceremony and will go towards funding a range of global diversity-related wine education programmes.

The impressive auction, which will be conducted by Christie’s and features a veritable selection of fine wines, spirits and related experiences from the world’s most renowned houses, producers and estates, will open for online bidding on September 23 2021.

The winning bids will be announced on the evening of the awards at a star-studded event taking place at Annabel’s Private Members’ Club in Mayfair, London on October 7 2021. The auction forms one part of the charitable, Oscar-style, black-tie awards ceremony, which is set to include a three-star Michelin world-class fine dining experience, entertainment programme, a performance by a bona-fide global superstar and an after party. 

The SA lot (lot 70) is a collaborative effort by seven of SA’s greatest producers: Eben Sadie Family Wines, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Vilafonté, Kanonkop Wine Estate, Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, Meerlust Wine Estate and Klein Constantia.

It includes a unique collection of owner-signed magnums — one from each of the seven wineries — from the universally acclaimed 2015 vintage as well as a collaborative three-day, unique VIP “insiders” wine tour experience that is unlikely to be repeated.

The winning party will be treated to five-star accommodation at the luxurious Leeu Collection in Franschhoek and will spend their days enjoying individual private tastings, dipping into the rarest archives of each of the winemakers. In addition, the guests will be treated to a multi-course fine dining and fine wine experience at renowned La Petite Colombe restaurant and an intimate lunch at the Klein Constantia bistro. The three-day, two-night experience and fine wine lot’s estimate is set at between £30,000 and £50,000.

The award ceremony and auction aims to raise £1m for Gerard Basset Foundation to fund a range of global, diversity-related wine education programmes to promote greater diversity and inclusion within the wine trade.

According to Lewis Chester, founder of the charity’s parent company Liquid Icons, the aim of the Golden Vines charity is to change the world of wine by encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to come into the industry.

“Through our [various] scholarships, and through funding a multitude of institutional and community groups globally to provide education, work experience and mentorship for these communities on a multiyear basis, we can literally change the face of wine,” he explains.

Winners of two awards — the Taylor’s Port-sponsored Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships, worth £55,000 each — will be announced at the dinner. The scholarships will be awarded to students who are black, indigenous and people of colour and wish to take part in the Master of Wine and Master Sommelier programmes.

The auction will also include incredibly rare “money-can’t-buy” experiences, including the opportunity to take over the hallowed halls of Chateau Cheval Blanc for the night, dinner with Loïc Pasquet, maker of the world’s most expensive wine, Liber Pater, as well as similar lots that have been donated by estates from Burgundy to Australia, and all points in between.

To find out more about The Golden Vines Awards and auction.

To view the catalogue.