Wines from the world over to support US restaurants at the “The Conscious Collection” auction

“The Conscious Collection: A Virtual Fine Wine and Spirits Auction”, is an online and live auction sponsored by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, one of the largest wine importers and distributors in the US, and by authoritative magazines such as “Wine Spectator”, and “Vinous” by Antonio Galloni, as well as portals like wine.com, leader of e-commerce in the USA, and “The Wall Street Journal”, the most influential financial newspaper in the world. The fundraising auction will include dream bottles, lunches and dinners together with the wine producers at the world’s topmost prestigious Estates, and experiences with celebrities linked to the worlds of wine and spirits, to raise funds for American catering that has been severely affected by the Pandemic, like most of the world, in a Nation that, thanks to a vaccination campaign going full speed ahead, wants to restart, which will also be fundamental for Made in Italy wine and food. The American auction house Zachys will hold the auction (online yesterday, and via live web on April 9th at 6 pm ET, or midnight in Italy, ed.), and the proceeds will go to the Barstool Fund, which is responsible for supporting small businesses affected by the Covid-19 crisis (to date it has raised over 37 million US dollars), created by Dave Portnoy, who has become an icon of American pop culture with his blog, www.barstoolsports.com. He will also be one of the exceptional auctioneers along with Guy Fieri, a well-known American TV personality, as well as the face of many food-related shows, plus Antonio Galloni, founder of Vinous, and Jeff Zacharia, president of Zachys.
Which are the top lots? The most popular (the online offer is now 55.000 US dollars) is the "Barstool Sports Experience with Dave Portnoy, while the “Experience Il Palagio with Trudie Styler, Sting and Riccardo Cotarella” stands out, or the 3 days at Sting and Trudie Styler’s Tuscan Estate, including a “Grand Wine Tasting” for 10-12 people, with the wine producers and their winemaker, Riccardo Cotarella (at the time of writing the offer is at 48.000 US dollars).
At the moment, the amount of 30.000 US dollars has been offered for the “Once in a Lifetime Lunch at Petrus”, a truly unique experience for 4 people in the Château of Bordeaux, normally closed to the public. Another absolute gem is the “Bask in the Glories of Bolgheri” (currently at 26.000 US dollars), with visits to three iconic wineries in the territory. The lot includes a 3-day stay for 8 people at the Biserno di Lodovico Antinori Estate, a private wine tasting, and three top-level dinners. One dinner will be at the Masseto di Frescobaldi estate, with Chef Axel Heinz, and tasting Masseto 2001 in double Magnun, directly from the wine cellar's reserve, a private dinner at the Marchesi Antinori Guado al Tasso, and a tasting of the famous Matarocchio 2009 and 2013 in Magnum format, plus tasting two legendary vintages of Sassicaia, 1985 and 1988, also in Magnum format. Looking only at the “Italian” lots in the catalog (and currently at 14.000 US dollars) there is the “White Truffles & Barolo in Piedmont, Presented by the Ceretto Family”, or a 2-day stay for 4 people on the Bricco Rocche Estate in Castiglione Falletto (usually closed to the public), including truffle hunting, tasting Barolo Bricco Rocche 2016, Barolo Bussia 2016 and Barolo Cannubi 2009, all in Magnum format and all together with the wine producer, plus dinner at the Ceretto family’s three-starred restaurant Piazza Duomo in Alba with Chef Enrico Crippa.
Continuing on, the “Iconic Wines & a Trip to Tuscany With Tignanello” lot stands out. It will be a 3-night stay for 8 people in the splendid Tenuta Tignanello (usually not open to the public), a visit to Antinori’s Tuscan Estates, and several Magnums of Tignanello (years 2007, 2010 and 2015), and Solaia (2007, 2010 and 2015). There is an exceptional weekend stay for 10 people in Castelgiocondo, the Frescobaldi estate in Montalcino, including special lunches, dinners and tastings, and an assortment created just for the occasion, of 12 bottles, three per vintage (2004, 2007, 2010 and 2015), of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento.
Then there is the two night stay for 8 people at Castello di Bossi, in Chianti Classico, including a vertical of Corbaia 1995-2016, and 2 nights for 2 people at the “relais” of Tenuta Mastrojanni di Illy, in Montalcino, dinners (including one at the 2 Michelin starred Silene), a wine tour and a Magnum of Brunello di Montalcino 2008, or the private dinner for two couples with Pio Boffa at the historic Pio Cesare winery, in Alba, dinner personally prepared by Signora Boffa, a tasting of different vintages of Barolo and Barbaresco, and a night stay in the private house of the Il Bricco family, in one of the highest and most panoramic spots in the Barbaresco area. Obviously, there will be similar experiences involving the great French names, such as Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, Cheval Blanc and Selon, just to name a few, as well as in the USA, Spain, and more. Special attractions include dinner with the rock star and wine producer, Jon Bon Jovi and his son Jesse, in East Hampton, or dinner with the actor Matt Damon, or dinner with the pop star Mary J. Blige, obviously with her line of wines, Sun Goddess.
“Like all of you, we have been terribly saddened by the toll Covid-19 has taken in the hospitality industry. We have seen countless friends and colleagues suddenly unemployed and having to face extraordinary uncertainty during these challenging and unprecedented times. Our goal is to raise more than 1 million US dollars. Restaurants play a vital role in our lives. They are the place where we celebrate milestones, spend time with loved ones and do business. Join us to help those in need”, is the appeal Antonio Galloni launched.