Called ‘Wine and Dine Experiences’, each lot included limited-edition wines, combined with a lunch and a private tasting at the winery.
Winemakers from various corners of the globe made donations to the Sotheby’s auction, with all the proceeds allocated to the Foundation for Wine Culture and Civilisations, the management entity for Cité du Vin.
The lot with the highest value consisted of a double magnum of Le Pin 2011, a double magnum of Le Pin 2015, along with a private tasting and lunch at the Bordeaux estate for a party of eight guests.
Interestingly, the lot was estimated to attract €45,000 to €65,000, but it surpassed the estimate by fetching a winning bid of €75,000.
The winning bidder will be treated to an exceptional lunch with Jacques and Fiona Thienpont, the owners of the Pomerol estate, according to Sotheby’s.
Another tempting offer was a rare vertical compilation of five magnums of Penfolds Bin 707 across five decades, presented in boxes signed by chief winemaker Peter Gago. Gago, who clinched the Decanter Hall of Fame award in 2021, helped the lot garner €17,500. Included in the package is a dinner in Paris hosted by a Penfolds ambassador as well.
Many other lots surpassed their maximum anticipated value. For instance, earning €16,250 was a six-litre Imperial of Château Cheval Blanc 2008 with a bonus lunch at the château for six guests.
Not to be forgotten is a double magnum of Château Figeac 2009 and a double magnum of Château Figeac 2010. The lot, which also includes a private tasting and lunch at the château for six guests, fetched €11,875, significantly surpassing its €6,000 upper estimate.
A double magnum of Ornellaia 1998, plus a private dinner at the Tuscan property for six, surpassed its €6,000 upper estimate with a final bid of €10,625.
Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Angelus, Château Palmer, Château d’Yquem, Guigal, Sassicaia, Promontory in Napa and Catena Zapata in Mendoza were among the esteemed producers that took part in the auction.
The funds will be allocated for the ongoing projects of the Cité du Vin, often referred to as the ‘Guggenheim of wine’, which first opened its doors in 2016.