Until 11:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 3—Giving Tuesday—wine lovers have the chance to bid on rare bottles of Burgundy, Beaujolais, Napa Cabernet and more, all for a worthy cause. Proceeds from the auction, organized by Edouard Parinet of Château du Moulin-à-Vent in Beaujolais, will support Wine on Wheels, the nonprofit founded by New York City sommelier Yannick Benjamin.
Co-founder of the restaurant Contento and the wine shop Beaupierre Wines & Spirits, Benjamin is a leading advocate for people with disabilities in the restaurant industry and beyond. “Every dollar raised represents an investment in breaking down barriers and proving that resilience and community can overcome any obstacle,” Benjamin reflected. “I’m so grateful for the generosity of everyone who contributed—it’s because of their support that we’re able to dream big and move closer to achieving our mission.”
The auction is a follow-up to a fundraising dinner for Wine on Wheels held in October at Chambers, the Tribeca restaurant owned by sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier. Both events also celebrate the 100th anniversary of Château du Moulin-à-Vent. Wine on Wheels aims to “help people with disabilities live active, meaningful lives” and sponsors a range of programs to promote education, wellness, employment and more.
“I am driven by passion, just like Yannick and Pascaline. I am fascinated by the energy that these people are able to deliver for their own cause, and it just attracts me,” Parinet, a longtime supporter of the nonprofit, told Wine Spectator. “So thinking of how to celebrate the 100th birth year of Moulin-à-Vent, we felt like gathering all our passion to create a unique Château du Moulin-à-Vent experience that would be useful to Wine on Wheels.”
Big Bottles—and a Bob Dylan Photo—for a Good Cause
The online auction, held on the site 32 Auctions, features 15 lots valued between $400 and $1,500. The wines on offer, which were all donated by the wineries and sourced straight from their cellars, include premier cru Burgundy from Ghislaine Barthod (in magnum) and Henri Gouges (in double magnum); two magnums of Pierre Gonon St.-Joseph; a trio of Napa Valley reds (including a bottle of 2008 Chappellet); a magnum of Raveneau Chablis; and a collection of four bottles dating to 1985 from the Jura estate Domaine de Montbourgeau.
Parinet is offering a wooden case of Château du Moulin-à-Vent bottles from the 2022 vintage, plus double magnums from 2018 and 2016. Other wines on offer include Sancerre, Champagne, Bandol and more.
Beyond rare bottles, there’s also a vineyard tour and tasting experience for six at Santa Barbara’s Sandhi, plus a double magnum of the winery’s Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay. The only non-wine lot would delight many a music fan: an archival pigment print, signed by photographer Bob Gruen, of Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie and fellow folk singer Dave Van Ronk. In the photo, Dylan drinks red wine straight from a large bottle.
“The idea of this dinner and auction was really to put all our passions—vine, wine and social usefulness—together to benefit the community and raise awareness for Wine on Wheels and Château du Moulin-à-Vent’s history and wines,” said Parinet. “My goal is simply to be a modest help to the Wine on Wheels community.”
For more details about the lots and to register to bid, visit the auction page at 32 Auctions.
