The recent Grapes for Climate Change Action Wine Auction, featuring a wide array of world-class wines and experiences, raised over $522,000, Grapes for Humanity said in a news release.
Also in this Ontario Wine Report, Malivoire honours front-line workers and the GGO has a new website.
The exact total was $522,191 with 99.3% of all lots in the auction purchased, with many of the lots soaring over their estimated values. “Thanks to the generosity of the wine community we have vastly overachieved our fund-raising goals in the nicest of all possible way,” said Grapes for Humanity’s Steven Campbell. “This raises our fund raising to over $1.4 million dollars in our first three years.”
In addition to excellent results for some of the most sought-after bottles of wine and exceptional ready-to-drink wines, favourite auction items once again included dinner events with Canadian rockstars at Toronto’s Barberian’s Steak House. Dinner with Les and Chaney Claypool, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson at Barberian’s Steak House reached $130,000, as well as a second dinner at Barberian’s hosted by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with guest Colin Cripps of Blue Rodeo, which also reached $130,000.
Unique winery experiences in Canada and abroad also received enthusiastic bidding, including an Okanagan Get Away at Quail’s Gate in the Okanagan, hosted by long-time supporter Tony Stewart, and guest Elise Deborne, Nature Conservancy of Canada.
Cuvée from the Heart also returned to the auction with community blends from Ontario and British Columbia winemakers who contributed their best wines, blended by Thomas Bachelder and Ross Wise MW, to create barrels of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, reached top dollars from appreciative bidders.
All-time favourite, Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape 2004, brought $900 and a 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1982 realized $3,560.
This is the second fundraising auction that Grapes for Humanity has partnered with Canadian wine auctioneers Waddington’s. Auction results are available on the Waddington’s website here.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is Canada’s unifying force for nature working to deliver large scale, permanent land conservation. NCC seeks solutions to the twin crises of rapid biodiversity loss and climate change through direct on-the-ground action to protect and care for our lands and waters. Since 1962, NCC has brought people together to conserve more than 15 million hectares.
“The Nature Conservancy of Canada is delighted, once again, to be one of the charities being supported by the Grapes for Humanity 2022 Auction,” says Mike Hendren, Regional Vice President, Ontario Region, Nature Conservancy of Canada. “NCC is committed to fighting the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss and the funds raised by this auction will help protect and care for critical lands and waters in Ontario this year including the Boreal Wildlands project. When nature thrives, we all thrive.”
Tree Canada is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in rural and urban environments. They help to grow Canada’s tree canopy through their programs, research, and engagement efforts and by offering grants to communities and schools. They are thought-leaders and capacity-builders, collaborating with a network of industry experts, academics, and other non-profits to deepen community knowledge and help municipalities plan and sustain local canopy. Together with their partners and sponsors, Tree Canada has planted more than 84 million trees.
“Tree Canada is thrilled to be a designated charity for Grapes of Humanity’s 2022 Auction for Climate Change Action. We know that trees absorb carbon dioxide, which is essential in the fight against climate change, but trees are also important to people and wildlife by naturally cooling our cities and absorbing pollutants. Your generous support will help grow better places to live across Canada,” says Nicole Hurtubise, CEO, Tree Canada.
Malivoire ‘Honours’ frontline workers
with special wine giveaway
The Malivoire Wine Company is offering complimentary bottles of Honours White VQA wine to 2,400 Ontario frontline health care workers.
In order to receive your complimentary bottle, workers of legal drinking age simply register on Malivoire’s website here. Registrants will receive an email with instructions for picking up their bottle in-person at the winery’s retail store in Beamsville. The entire production of Honors White VQA will be given away to Ontario Health Care workers and offered as long as stock remains available.
Honours White was conceived by Malivoire assistant winemaker Dan Stouck and general manager Stephen Gash to say thank you to Ontario’s frontline health care workers. Stouck, whose partner is a nurse at Joseph Brandt Hospital in nearby Burlington, would often give first-hand accounts to winery staff of the immense challenges faced by those working in health care throughout the pandemic.
Producing a wine to honour the sacrifices of those in health care is a small gesture that the winery hopes will bring some joy to those who have given so much on our behalf. Stephen Gash said: “Honours was the word we thought best expressed our goal in crafting this local VQA white wine specifically for Ontario’s frontline health care workers. Making a special wine is one way we could express our gratitude.”
Grape Growers of Ontario
launch new website
In celebration of its 75 years, the Grape Growers of Ontario has launched a new website for the province’s grape and wine industry. The website can be found here.
Established in 1947, Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO) has developed deep roots in Ontario’s economy and communities, representing over 500 farm families of 18,000 acres of processing grapes in three main Designated Viticulture Areas – the Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore, and Prince Edward County – as well as emerging regions such as Norfolk and Huron Counties.
As part of the GGO’s 75th Anniversary celebrations, the organization has modernized its corporate website including a digitalized historical record. The 75th Anniversary page highlights the many milestones of progress that the organization and Ontario’s grape and wine industry have achieved since 1947. The new site also features an updated and automated Classified section, and a Members’ Toolbox to work in conjunction with eGrape, the organization’s cloud-based data management system. The user-friendly Resources section provides easy to find industry data, communications, and links.
“As the leading source of industry data, Grape Growers of Ontario invites our members, stakeholders, government and industry partners to explore the new site, and join us in celebrating 75 years of grape growing in Ontario,” said GGO chair Matthias Oppenlaender.
— Information provided by Grapes for Humanity, Malivoire and the GGO
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