The Golden Vines Fine Wine, Rare Spirit & Experience Auction Is Back

One-of-a-kind experiences, Michelin-starred dinners, and exceptional bottles are among the more than 120 lots available at this year’s Golden Vines Charity Online Auction. Lovers of fine wine and haute gastronomy will have plenty to bid on in the 2024 edition, and we have the details.

The foodies in our midst will be excited about the Golden Vines Chefs Experience, in which the winning bidder and a guest are invited to five exclusive culinary offerings at the restaurants of four Michelin three-starred chefs and a two-starred chef. The winner will enjoy the Universe tasting menu with wine pairing at Mauro Colagreco’s Mirazur in Menton, France; be welcomed by the Roca brothers to El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain for a set menu and wine; stay the night at Le Meurice Hotel in Paris and dine with wine at Le Meurice Alain Ducasse followed by breakfast the next morning; indulge in a degustation and wine pairing at Mario Sandoval’s Michelin two-starred Coque in Madrid; and take a VIP tour of Massimo Bottura’s Ristorante Cavallino in Maranello, Italy along with experiencing the tasting menu and wine pairing.

Napa lovers will fuel the bidding on a rare collection of Jeroboams from Colgin Cellars’ celebrated 2014 vintage, featuring “Tychson Hill,” “Cariad,” and “IX Estate,” plus a private tour of the vineyards for six people and multi-course dinner paired with fine wine. This remarkable event amid Colgin’s breathtaking hillside beauty will be hosted by the legendary Ann Colgin or COO Neil Bernardi.

Those with an eye towards Burgundy will delight in the opportunity to enjoy an overnight stay for two at the La Folie de Vougeot Estate, a miniature castle in the center of the famed walled Clos de Vougeot grand cru vineyard. Included are an overnight visit for two guests and wine tasting for six guests featuring historical vintages and producers of the Clos de Vougeot. An exclusive “new vs established” dinner for six guests accompanied by two top local vignerons, hosted in the private dining room of the ultra-exclusive 1243 Bourgogne Society and prepared by one of five local Michelin-starred chefs will showcase the best of traditional and modern Burgundy.

That’s not all: Jean-Yves Bizot, proprietor of Domaine Bizot is offering a personally signed Magnum of the exquisite Domaine Bizot 2022 Échezeaux Grand Cru alongside a VIP tour and tasting at his esteemed estate, culminating in a sumptuous fine wine lunch for six guests hosted by Bizot himself.

Bordeaux enthusiasts don’t need to feel left out! On auction there is an exclusive VIP tour and tasting at Cos d’Estournel, a fine-wine dinner featuring historic back vintages, and an overnight stay at the magnificent La Chartreuse de Cos d’Estournel estate for six guests. This incredible package includes a six-liter Imperial of Cos d’Estournel 2020—a limited-edition bottling released to celebrate Michel Reybier’s 20^th anniversary at the helm of the estate. The luxurious château, complete with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, massage room, and private cellar, will be available for you and five friends to enjoy for a day and a night.

“The 2024 Golden Vines Online Auction, for the benefit of the Gérard Basset Foundation, features over 120 lots from virtually all of the iconic fine wine estates in the world, plus a number of special rare spirit lots,” says Lewis Chester, DipWSET, who with the late Basset, co-founded the organization Liquid Icons, which co-produces the auction and events. “What differentiates this auction over others is that every lot comes with a money-can’t-buy experience: VIP tour, tasting, vineyard visit, fine wine lunch or dinner, and often a stay at the estate for on average six guests. Every fine wine region in the world is represented. The fine wine is always either in large formats, Magnum and above, or rarities from the estate’s cellars, often signed by the owners or winemakers.”

Money raised from the auction goes to the Gérard Basset Foundation to fund educational programs in the wine, spirits, and hospitality sectors focused on diversity and inclusivity, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, persons impacted by war, and the economically disadvantaged. The Foundation funds programs in over 15 countries globally, in addition to its groundbreaking scholarship programs co-sponsored by Taylor’s Port, Dom Pérignon, Artemis Domaines, and Camus Cognac.

The auction opens at 10 a.m. CET (Central European Time) on October 6 and closes at 23:59 p.m. CET on October 27, 2024. Bids can be placed here.