“Barolo en Primeur” 2025: in auction, 4,000 liters of Barolo and Barbaresco for social projects

In 2024, over one million euros were raised, for a total - since the first edition in 2021 - of more than 3.4 million euros donated in 4 years, supporting more than 70 social and cultural projects in the Langhe region, across Italy, and around the world. “Barolo en Primeur” (edition No. 5) returns on October 24th, 2025, at the Castle of Grinzane Cavour. This international charity auction is promoted by Crc Foundation and Crc Donare Ets Foundation, in collaboration with Consorzio del Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani. Under the gavel of Cristiano De Lorenzo, director of Christie’s Italy, and live-streamed to London and New York, 14 oak barrels of Barolo Gustava, coming from the historic vineyard located at the foot of the Castle, once vinified during the time of Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, to whom it belonged. The barrique No. 15 will be auctioned on November 9th during the “Asta Mondiale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba” - “World White Truffle Auction of Alba,” also at the Castle of Grinzane, in live connection with Hong Kong.
All oak barrels bear the signature of enologist Donato Lanati, who divided the Gustava Vineyard based on exposure, altitude, and vine age, vinifying each portion separately to enhance its characteristics and give each a unique personality: from each oak barrel 270 bottles of Barolo will be produced, which, after the minimum aging period of 38 months required by the Consortium’s regulations, may be consumed or released to the market.
As always, the exceptional quality of these wines is certified by Antonio Galloni, ceo of “Vinous” and internationally renowned wine critic, who provides an annual “en primeur” assessment of the oak barrels. To ensure the authenticity of the wine from the Gustava Vineyard, “Barolo en Primeur” will equip each bottle with a Nfc digital certification tag this year, guaranteeing its origin, traceability, and integrity, and offering concrete protection against counterfeiting. Through the scanning of the code, a digital profile with full traceability information (harvest, barrique of origin, batch) will be opened, along with exclusive content such as Lanati tasting notes, Galloni’s “en primeur” review, and a live webcam view of the Gustava Vineyard and the Castle of Grinzane Cavour.
But, in the catalogue - in addition to the oak barrels - there are also 8 municipal lots of Barolo and Barbaresco, donated by over 80 wineries from the Consortium, including a total of 914 bottles, approximately 925 liters, in standard, magnum, jeroboam, and rehoboam formats. Proceeds from 4 lots will be destined to charitable organizations chosen by buyers, while the remaining 4 will support the Alba Enological School and other local projects. In total, between barriques and municipal lots, “Barolo en Primeur” 2025 will auction 3,962.5 liters of Barolo and Barbaresco, a wine heritage that represents the excellence of the Langhe and the strength of a project that combines fine wine with solidarity. (here the information to participate in the auction; bottle delivery will be handled by Fieramente, a wine transport company founded in 2015 by Alessio Piccardi, with no shipping costs for the winning bidder).
“Since the launch of “Barolo en Primeur” in 2021, we have raised over 3.4 million euros, supporting more than 70 social and cultural projects in the province of Cuneo, in Italy, and around the world. In the last edition alone, we surpassed the one-million-euro mark  - declared Giuliano Viglione, president of Crc Donare Ets Foundation -  figures which reflect the tangible impact of a format that supports the nonprofit sector, where participants help generate social value both locally and beyond. “Barolo en Primeur” proves that wine can be a lasting engine of solidarity, capable of connecting distant communities, businesses, and collectors”.
Also“Exclusive Tasting - Barolo en Primeur” is confirmed, a one-of-a-kind tasting experience that will take place during the week leading up to the auction. “Barolo and Barbaresco are international ambassadors of quality, history, and culture, symbols of a region which has conquered the world thanks to the work of our families and wineries - underlined Sergio Germano, èresident of Consorzio del Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani - in a complex geopolitical context marked by economic uncertainty and global dynamics which also affect the wine sector, “en primeur” mechanism proves to be a counter-cyclical and strategic tool. It allows not only to stabilize demand for fine wines with controlled origin but also builds strong relationships between producers, collectors, and markets, reinforcing the Langhe’s reputation as a place of excellence and reliability, and giving international visibility to a model that represents Italian excellence worldwide”.
As tradition dictates, the charity auction also combines wine and solidarity with art, turning each bottle into a true collector’s item. For the 2025 edition, the artist label is signed by Giulia Cenci, one of the most compelling voices in the contemporary international art scene, winner of “Baloise Art Prize” at “Art Basel” 2019 and “Premio Cairo” 2021, and a finalist for “Future Generation Art Prize” and “Maxxi Bvlgari Prize.” Her work, entitled “Self-devouring figure” (2025), is a pencil drawing representing a hybrid self-portrait, where the artist’s face is partially covered by a flower. The image deliberately leaves perception in suspense: it is unclear whether the flower is being eaten, whether the figure is feeding on it, or whether it is an organic extension of the figure. This ambiguity challenges the boundaries between identity, nourishment, and metamorphosis, creating a parallel with the values of gift and transformation at the heart of “Barolo en Primeur”.