Bidders in the room at Willamette: The Pinot Noir Auction held on 10 August 2023.
Bidders around the world joined those in the room at WillaKenzie Estate via livestream as 75 one-of-a-kind wines went under the hammer at the seventh edition of ‘Willamette: The Pinot Noir Auction’.
Top producers created Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines specifically for the sale, which also put Willamette Valley’s highly rated 2021 vintage in the spotlight.
Only trade members plus ‘guests’ could participate in the sale, said auction house and co-host Zachys. Organiser Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA) said consumers would be able to purchase the one-off wines from winning bidders.
Sales of wine lots fetched a total $543,500 this year, with the final sum raised hitting $680,900 once additional sponsorship funds and ticket sales for in-person events had been included, said WVWA.
It said the average price per lot rose by 10% on last year, to $7,246. There was no buyer’s premium in the auction.
The most expensive lot sold was five cases (60x 75cl) of Bergström Wines’ ‘La Voluptueuse’, Pinot Noir 2021, which fetched $35,000, translating to an average price of around $583 per bottle, said WVWA.
Created by winemakers Josh Bergstrôm and Maddy Rausch, the wine is a blend of the ‘oldest vine parcels from our two original family vineyard plantings: the Bergström Vineyard in the Dundee Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA) and Silice in the Chehalem Mountains AVA’, the winery said in the Zachys auction catalogue.
Other top lots included:
Five cases of Antica Terra, ‘Alder Creek’ Pinor Noir 2021 | (sold for) $15,000
Five cases of Alexana Estate, ‘Slack Tide – The Clam’ Pinot Noir 2021 | $15,000
Twenty cases of Westmount, ‘West Side Story’ Pinot Noir 2021 | $18,000
Twenty cases of Maison Noir, ‘Lamb of the God’ Pinot Noir 2021 | $13,000
Five cases of Drouhin Oregon Roserock, ‘Cuvée DG’, Pinot Noir 2021 | $11,000
Five cases of Soléna Estate and Domaine Divio, ‘Francophillia’ Chardonnay 2021 | $10,500
Ian Burch, auction chair and winemaker at Archery Summit winery, said, ‘The Willamette Valley has come to be recognized as one of the most exciting wine regions in the world, and this auction offers the highest expressions of Pinot noir and Chardonnay from our top producers.’
The sale follows the Willamette Valley Collectors’ Auction in April, also powered by Zachys, which featured library wines spanning 22 years, as well as experiences.
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