Willamette Valley wine auction raises $500,000
Nearly $500,000 was raised at the Pinot Noir Barrel Auction, a trade-only showcase of rare wines hosted by the Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA).
Sixty-nine Oregon producers contributed a sample of their Pinot noirs from the 2015 vintage for auction and more than 400 attendees raised $472,000 for the WVWA.
Pat Dudley, vintner and auction co-chair, said: “The response to this event has been nothing short of remarkable, and we could not be more pleased.”
“At the same time, I’m not entirely surprised. The Willamette Valley has come to be recognised as one of the most exciting wine regions in the world, and this auction offers the highest expressions of Pinot noir from our top producers.”
Auctioneer Fritz Hatton sold all 69 wines in 80 minutes and Antica Terra’s five case Pinot noir sold for $20,000. Other highlights of the auction were Domaine Serene’s five case East Meets West Pinot noir which sold for $17,500, and Walter Scott Winery’s five case lot which raised $15,000.
The wines were sold to members of the national and international wine trade and will appear in retailers and restaurants throughout the US.
The WVWA has already planned the third consecutive Pinot Noir Barrel Auction on April 7, 2018.