Philantropy and Fine Wine: Recent actions taken by Wine Estates

After posting a recent editorial “Philantropy and Fine Wines: Build a Wine story with big Heart” on www.vitabella.fr, we received an impressive flow of positive comments at info@vitabella.fr. In fact, it demonstrated how commited wine lovers were now for charity initiatives. As a general comment to all these e-mails, we wanted to say that many other actions were taken by wine estates and recent news showed that things were moving into the right direction.

1) At Hospices de Beaune Sale, over the week end, Jacques Boisseaux (owner in Burgundy of Patriarche and Château de Meursault) made a record bid of 400,000 euros for the “piece du president” or president’s barrel, comprised of 500 liters of wine. The money, equivalent to about 800 euros per bottle, will go to fund cancer research. This 150th Hospices de Beaune Charity Wine Auction has, once again, shown to the world that charity was important and that wine estates care about human projects by making in 2010 the record bid since the foundation.

2) Primum Familiae Vini raised funds for Childhood Brasil. PFV brings together families which are located in the world’s most prestigious wine growing regions of Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Germany. Their names? Antinori, Chateau Mouton Rotschild, Joseph Drouhin, Egon Muller Scharzhof, Hugel & Fils, Champagne Pol Roger, Perrin & Fils, Symington Family, Tenuta San Guido, Torres and Vega Sicilia. A PFV delegation recently visited Brazil and Chile to raise funds on behalf of Childhood Brasil (an association to protect children and adolescents against sexual abuse and exploitation). A Primum Familiae Vini special collection mahogany case containing one bottle of the flagship wine produced by each of the members was auctioned during a gala diner in Sao Paulo. A record price of US$ 146,000 was achieved for the single case. The full value was reverted in its entirety to Childhood Brasil.

(You can reach the writer at info@vitabella.fr)