“Golden Vines Online Auction” 2026, between beauty and rarity, Italian wine takes center stage

A rich “menu” that (also) includes guided tours through the vineyards, exclusive experiences, unique tastings, and special encounters with great vintages and more. There are many “jewels” of the international wine world featured in the 2026 “Golden Vines Online Auction”, benefiting the Gérard Basset Foundation, an organization established to honor and promote the legacy of the unforgettable Gérard Basset (the only person in the world to have held the titles of Master Sommelier, Master of Wine, and Officer of the Order of the British Empire, who passed away in 2019), and which funds global education, training, and mentorship programs in the wine, spirits, and hospitality sectors, with the goal of improving inclusion.
An event that combined solidarity, with many leading wineries donating their prestigious wines, and beauty, featuring a historically significant turnout (the 2025 Golden Vines raised over $1.4 million), with the 2026 auction already underway and set to conclude on November 8 (so far, 122,300 pounds have been raised). Italy is once again taking center stage, and this year as well, the top lot comes from Montalcino: a Mathusalem (6 liters) of the 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva from Biondi-Santi Tenuta Greppo, the “cradle” of Brunello di Montalcino (now part of the French Epi Group), combined with a tour of the vineyards and the estate, as well as “La Storica,” the private cellar where Biondi-Santi stores bottles from every vintage of Riserva produced, followed by a tasting with CEO Giampiero Bertolini and a lunch featuring dishes prepared by a Michelin-starred restaurant, with an overnight stay in Montalcino for 6 people (estimated value of 10,000 to 20,000 pounds). Montalcino takes center stage once again with another of its great treasures, Il Marroneto, owned by Alessandro and Jacopo Mori, who will donate an extremely rare 5-liter bottle of Il Marroneto Madonna delle Grazie 2006, one of the most iconic Brunellos of all time, personally signed by owner and winemaker Alessandro Mori. Guests will be welcomed at Il Marroneto in Montalcino for a private dinner hosted by the estate (the lot is for 2 guests, with an estimate ranging from 7,500 to 15,000 pounds).
We head to the Langhe to discover Giacomo Borgogno & Figli, one of Barolo’s leading producers, featuring a 12-liter (Balthazar) bottle of Giacomo Borgogno & Figli’s 2018 Barolo Riserva, signed by the winery’s owner, Andrea Farinetti. In addition, a visit to the famous Cannubi vineyard, the historic cellars, and the Borgogno archive, lunch with a private chef, the owner, or a senior representative of the estate, a wine tasting at the Banca del Vino on the Tenuta Reale di Pollenzo, and a night in one of the former royal residences of the House of Savoy (estimated at 7,000 to 12,000 pounds for an experience for 4 people). For those who want to savor the legend of Ornellaia, an iconic wine of Tuscany and beyond, there is a double magnum of Ornellaia 2006 autographed by production manager Marco Balsimelli, along with a special tour including a visit to the vineyards and winery in Bolgheri, a tasting, and a dinner featuring fine wines from the estate, including historic vintages, all accompanied by a member of the management team. For 6 people, the estimated price ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 pounds.
But you’ll also have the chance to discover one of Abruzzo’s finest offerings with a visit for four people to the legendary Tenuta Emidio Pepe, named after one of the pioneers of Montepulciano and Trebbiano, an experience enhanced by a rare magnum of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Branella 2020 and an overnight stay at the family’s agriturismo, nestled among the vineyards and framed by the Apennines. The auction winner and three guests will enjoy a private tour of the estate and historic vineyards, a tasting in the family cellar, which houses 350,000 bottles, and a “farm-to-table” dinner hosted by Chiara De Iulis Pepe, featuring prized historic vintages (estimated value: £5,000 to £10,000). And then there’s an immersive journey into the heart of the Langhe (organized by Crurated, which donated the experience, from December 2 to 4, 2026) featuring truffle hunting and tastings, and, of course, Barolo, with a private tour of the Giacomo Conterno winery in Monforte d’Alba, home to the legendary Barolo Monfortino, and an evening at the restaurant La Rei Natura, where the tasting menu by three-Michelin-starred chef Michelangelo Mammoliti will be served in the company of producers such as Roberto Conterno himself, at the helm of Giacomo Conterno, and Egon Müller, one of the icons of Mosel winemaking. A dinner is also planned at Sunsì Bistrot at Il Boscareto Resort in Serralunga d’Alba, which will bring guests together with renowned wine producers who will serve iconic bottles: participating producers include Martino Manetti of Montevertine, as well as Domaine Dancer, a renowned French winery (estimated value: 4,500–8,000 pounds). Six guests will have the opportunity to visit Poggio di Sotto, one of the most significant Brunello di Montalcino wineries (part of the ColleMassari group): The auction winner will receive a 3-liter bottle of 2019 Brunello di Montalcino, a vintage to remember, a private tour, and a guided tasting led by the winemaker, followed by a lunch or dinner featuring fine wines in Montalcino. Also featured is another gem of Italian wine and the Piedmont wine region, Roagna, which offers a tour of the cellars, a tasting, and lunch or dinner paired with fine wines at the family estate in Barbaresco. A magnum of Roagna Barbaresco Pajè 2021 rounds out the donation, offering an experience for up to 6 guests, estimated to be worth between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds. And Sicily couldn’t be left out, with a trip to the stunning Etna region featuring Passopisciaro, the pioneering estate founded by the late Andrea Franchetti and now led by his son Benjamin. Four guests will explore ancient vineyards terraced on lava rock aboard a private off-road vehicle, taste the entire “Contrade” wine collection and rare vintage wines from the cellar, and then enjoy dinner at the Shalai Resort and an overnight stay in luxury accommodations. The auction winner will also receive two rare 3-liter Jeroboams signed by Franchetti (estimated at 4,000 to 7,000 pounds). We return to Tuscany with a “private getaway” for two at Castello Nipozzano, the historic Marchesi Frescobaldi estate in Chianti Rufina, accompanied by a 2015 Mormoreto Jeroboam autographed by Lamberto Frescobaldi. The itinerary includes a private tour of the ancient underground cellars and Castello Nipozzano’s private wine collection. The experience includes a private four-course lunch inspired by Tuscan tradition, paired with rare vintages of Mormoreto, followed by an overnight stay in one of the exclusive rooms in the Castello Nipozzano village and breakfast the following morning (estimated cost: 3,000–5,000 pounds).
Tuscany’s wine scene also shines with Isole e Olena (another winery in the Epi Group, ed.): Here is the offer (for 2 people), featuring an extremely rare 6-liter bottle of Cepparello 2019, Isole e Olena’s iconic 100% Sangiovese wine, personally signed by CEO Giampiero Bertolini, paired with an exclusive private tour to explore this historic Chianti Classico estate. Guests will be welcomed by the estate’s director, Emanuele Reolon, for a private tour, which will include an introduction to Isole e Olena from the panoramic terrace, a tour of the vineyards and the winery, and a guided wine tasting (estimated value: 2,500–5,000 pounds).
The absolute top wine lot? We head to France with Liber Pater, the cult estate in Graves that produces the world’s most expensive red wine at the time of its release, with fewer than 500 bottles per vintage. The lot includes a handcrafted gift box containing 3 signed bottles of Liber Pater 2015, 2018, and 2019, as well as a private day at the estate for six people with owner and winemaker Loïc Pasquet, including a tour of the vineyards and cellar, an in-depth tasting, and a lunch or dinner featuring fine Liber Pater wines (estimated value: £80,000 to £120,000).
But there are many exceptional lots from the world’s top wine producers, ranging from Barons de Rothschild to Henriot, from Jacquesson to Salon, from Taittinger to Krug, from Ruinart to Château Angelus, from Château Lafite Rothschild to Lynch-Bages, from Domaine Leflaive to Familia Torres, from Harlan Estate to Clos Apalta, and many more.