Auction Super Lots raise £1m for Masters Of Wine Endowment Fund
A benefit dinner and auction at Bonhams last night (16 November) raised an astonishing £1million for the Institute of Masters of Wine’s Endowment Fund. The Fund will enable the Institute to extend its range of activities in the global wine world, enhance the support it gives to Members worldwide and encourage the Masters of Wine of the future.
Thanks to the generosity of the Institute’s Members and Supporters, bidders competed for some spectacular Super Lots including:
- A private tasting of Screaming Eagle wines, led personally by a member of the Screaming Eagle team, and a position on Screaming Eagle’s exclusive mailing list which went for £150,000.
- An exclusive stay at Le Pin and Cheval Blanc plus visits and meals at the acknowledged five greats of the Right Bank; Le Pin, Petrus, Lafleur, Cheval Blanc and Ausone which was sold for £145,000.
- A tremendous three-night trip to Burgundy for four people, visiting top Domaines across the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. This includes a lunch in the private dining room at Clos de Lambrays, visits to Fourrier, Grivot, Lafon, Leflaive, Louis Jadot, Louis Latour and Rousseau which went for £90,000.
A further 100 lots are being offered online and bidding will continue until 1500 (GMT) on Tuesday 21 November 2017. All lots can be viewed here.
These include:
- A 12-bottle case of Guigal’s famous ‘LaLa’ Côte-Rôtie wines from four of its exceptional single vineyards.
- A chance to experience the best of Italy through the most prestigious wines of Istituto Grandi Marchi, including wines from Donnafugata, Marchese Antinori and Masi.
- A unique opportunity to experience the three and a half day To Kalon Certification – the signature event for Robert Mondavi Winery usually only available to the wine trade.
- A private once in a lifetime dinner for six with Jancis Robinson MW and the Lander family at one of award-winning restaurateur Will Lander’s London restaurants.
- A place at the world’s most intensive Fine World Bootcamp at La Verrière in the Southern Rhone, which offers enthusiasts an immersion course of tuition in all aspects of wine.
Chairman of the Institute, Jane Masters MW said, “We are overwhelmed by the astounding success of the dinner and auction which, together with the money raised from the online auction, will put the Institute on a very sound footing for the future. We are extremely grateful to the many IMW Members, Supporters and our friends in the wine trade who donated so generously and helped make the evening so successful.”
Bonhams International Director of Wine, Richard Harvey MW commented, “Bonhams has always been a strong supporter of the IMW’s work in setting and maintaining rigorous standards in the modern wine business. We are very pleased to have been able to play a role in helping the IMW establish its Endowment Fund, which will ensure its vital work can continue and grow in the future”.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Sarah Kirkpatrick
Marketing and Communications Manager
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0)207 383 9131
skirkpatrick@mastersofwine.org
Notes for Editors:
About the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW)
The Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) is a membership organisation with an exceptional international reputation. For almost 70 years, its members – the Masters of Wine (MWs) – have been at the forefront of leadership and expertise in the world of wine. The IMW’s mission is to promote excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. MWs prove their comprehensive understanding of wine by passing the MW examination, recognised worldwide for its rigour and exacting standards. In addition to passing the examination, members must sign the code of conduct before they are entitled to use the initials MW. This requires them to act with honesty and integrity, and use every opportunity to share their knowledge of wine with others. Today, there are 369 Masters of Wine working in 29 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, academics, educators and more. There are over 350 students in the MW Study Programme from over 30 countries.
About Bonhams
Bonhams was founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers of fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with sales also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of forthcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com.