Sting, Bolgheri, Tignanello (Antinori), Ceretto and Montalcino at the top at Zachys

The charm of the great territories of Italian wine, to be able to touch with one’s own hands in an exclusive way, meeting the greatest producers of Italy, or “VIPs” who, for a long time, have lent themselves to wine, made the difference. And so the “The Conscious Collection: A Virtual Fine Wine and Spirits Auction”, an online and live auction staged in recent days, has raised 1.6 million dollars, supported by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, one of the largest importers and distributors of wine in the U.S., by authoritative magazines such as “Wine Spectator” and “Vinous” by Antonio Galloni, but also by portals such as wine. com, leader of e-commerce in the USA, and “The Wall Street Journal”, which through The Barstool Fund will support American restaurants affected by the pandemic, which is slowly trying to recover.
Italian top lot, the “Experience Il Palagio with Trudie Styler, Sting and Riccardo Cotarella”, that is three days in the Tuscan estate of Sting and Trudie Styler, which also includes a “Gran Wine Tasting” for 10-12 people together with the producers and their enologist Riccardo Cotarella, sold for 140,000 dollars. With Sting who surpassed his “colleague” Jon Bon Jovi, another music star who dedicated himself to wine: the possibility to have dinner with him and his son Jesse was sold for 85,000 dollars. And if among the top lots there are other two VIP experiences, that is the dinners with the founder of www.barstoolsports.com, Dave Portnoy ($70,000) and with the actor and movie producer Matt Damon ($55,000), it is all “made in Italy” the first purely oenological lot, that is the “Bask in the Glories of Bolgheri”: sold for $50,000 dollars, will see 8 people enjoy a three days stay in Lodovico Antinori’s Tenuta di Biserno, with a private wine tasting, and three dinners of absolute level, one in the Masseto estate (owned by the Frescobaldi family), with the director Axel Heinz and the tasting of Masseto 2001 in double magnun, directly from the reserve of the winery, a private dinner at Guado al Tasso of Marchesi Antinori, with the tasting of the renowned Matarocchio 2009 and 2013 in magnum format, and a tasting of two legendary vintages of Sassicaia, 1985 and 1988, also in magnum format. And if in the top lots ($42,000) follows the “Once in a Lifetime Lunch at Petrus”, a truly unique experience for 4 people in the Château of Bordeaux, which is normally closed to the public, Italy is still at the top of the list with the Iconic lot “Wines & a Trip to Tuscany with Tignanello”: awarded for $40,000, is a three-night stay for 8 people at the stunning Tignanello Estate (also not open to the public), with a visit to Antinori’s Tuscan estates, and several magnums of Tignanello (2007, 2010 and 2015 vintages), and Solaia (2007, 2010 and 2015).
Then with “White Truffles & Barolo in Piedmont, Presented by the Ceretto Family”, that is a 2-day stay for 4 people at the Bricco Rocche estate in Castiglione Falletto (usually closed to the public), truffle hunting, a tasting of Barolo Bricco Rocche 2016, Barolo Bussia 2016 and Barolo Cannubi 2009, all in magnum size and all with the producer, and a dinner at the Ceretto family’s three-starred Piazza Duomo in Alba, with chef Enrico Crippa, awarded for 36,000 euros.
Still, among the great lots dedicated to the top names of world wine such as the myth of Bordeaux Chateau Margaux, to Burgundy, or to the galaxy of Champagne of Louis Roederer, just to name a few, staying on Italy, collected 13,000 dollars the weekend for 10 people at Castelgiocondo, Frescobaldi’s estate in Montalcino, with lunches, dinners and special tastings, and an assortment created ad hoc for the occasion formed by 12 bottles, three per vintage (2004, 2007, 2010 and 2015) of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento, while it ticked 7,000 dollars for the lot made up of 2 nights for 2 people at Illy’s Tenuta Mastrojanni relais in Montalcino, with dinners (including one at Roberto Rossi’s Michelin-starred Silene), wine tours and a magnum of Brunello di Montalcino 2008.
It raised 6,000 euros, instead, the private dinner for two couples with Pio Boffa in the historic Pio Cesare winery, in Alba, personally cooked by Mrs. Boffa, a tasting of different vintages of Barolo and Barbaresco, and a night in the family’s private house Il Bricco, in one of the highest and most panoramic areas of Barbaresco, while it was beaten for 5,500 euros the two nights experience for 8 people at Castello di Bossi, in Chianti Classico, with a vertical of Corbaia 1995-2016. Finally, awarded for $4,600 were 75 bottles of Ester Canale Nebbiolo 2016 from Giovanni Rosso winery, and for $2,600 was Antinori’s Tignanello Collection, consisting of 4 bottles of Tignanello 2006 and a double magnum of Tignanello 2016.
With the great wines of Italy and their territories that gave a decisive contribution to the auction, confirming once again their great appeal among wine lovers and big spenders of the world.