An artist's impression of the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium at Bordeaux's Cité du Vin.
An artist's impression of the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium at Bordeaux's Cité du Vin.
(Image credit: Sotheby's / Cité du Vin)

Many of Bordeaux's most prestigious châteaux are offering a combination of exclusive tours, lunches and fine wines at a special charity auction to help raise funds for Bordeaux's wine cultural museum, the Cité du Vin.

  • Lunch at Haut-Brion, Lafite-Rothschild 1945, private tour of Angélus on offer

  • 27 April NY auction at Sotheby’s to raise funds for Cité du Vin Thomas Jefferson Auditorium

They must decide whether they would rather drink Lafite-Rothschild 1945 and 1918, have lunch for six at Château Haut-Brion with Prince Robert of Luxembourg – with nine magnums of the 2012 grand vin – or have lunch with Pierre Lurton at either Cheval Blanc or d’Yquem, with double magnums of the estates’ 2009 vintage respectively.

  • See a full list of lots below

The event is being held to help raise funds for the Thomas Jefferson Auditorium at Bordeaux’s multi-million-euro wine cultural centre, the Cité du Vin.

Online bidding is already open until 25 April, after which all lots will be transferred to the live auction hosted by Sotheby’s and co-organised by the American Friends of the Cité des Civilisations du Vin and backed by leading figures in Bordeaux wine including Prince Robert of Luxembourg.

Among the other lots are a private tasting and dinner for two with a member of the de Bouard family of Château Angélus, and an imperial of Pétrus 1995 and lunch for two at Videlot, the Moueix family home, prepared by three-Michelin-star chef Michel Guérard. The latter has a starting bid of $20,000.

The New York auction will take place following a reception and dinner, with seats costing $750 per head.

Bordeaux’s Cité du Vin is scheduled to open on 1 June and is set to include a boutique with thousands of wines from around the world.

The Cité du Vin auction lots in full:

See the auction page here

Domaine Clarence Dillon

9 Magnums of 2012, visit and lunch for 6 at Château Haut-Brion with Prince Robert de Luxembourg

Château Lafite Rothschild

2x bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild 1918 and 2x bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild 1945

Château Latour

Jeroboam of Château Latour 2011 and lunch for 4 at the property with Frederic Engerer

Château Margaux

Jeroboam of Château Margaux 2012 and private visit and tasting, followed by a dinner for 8 with Corinne Mentzelopoulos

Château Mouton Rothschild

Jeroboam of Château Mouton Rothschild 2000 and a private VIP visit and lunch for 6

Château d’Yquem

Double Magnum of Château d’Yquem 2009 and a private visit and lunch for 6 with Pierre Lurton

Château Lynch-Bages

Double Magnum of Château Lynch-Bages 2000 and visit with dinner for two and 1-night stay at Cordeillan-Bages

Restaurant Le Clarence

Dinner for 4 at the new “Le Clarence” with wines from Domaine Clarence Dillon

Pétrus

An Imperial of Pétrus 1995 and lunch for 2 at Videlot, the Moueix family home, prepared by 3 star Chef Michel Guérard

Château Cheval Blanc

Double Magnum of Château Cheval Blanc 2009 and private visit and lunch for 6 with Pierre Lurton

Château Angélus

Double Magnum of Château Angélus 2012, with tour, private tasting and dinner for 2 with the de Boüard family

Château Pavie

2 Magnums of Château Pavie 2012, with dinner at the Château and 2-night stay at Hostellerie de Plaisance for 4

Château Haut-Bailly

Double Magnum of Château Haut-Bailly 2010, with private lunch/dinner and 2-night stay at the Château for 6

Château Pape Clément

An Imperial of Château Pape Clément 2010, visit, tasting & lunch with Bernard Magrez, dinner and 1-night stay at La Grande Maison

Place de la Comédie

Lunches at Palais Rohan with Alain Juppé and at Le Chapon Fin with Sylvie Cazes, dinners at Pressoir d’Argent – Gordon Ramsay and 2-night stay at Intercontinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hôtel

Cos d’Estournel

1 Double Magnum of Cos d’Estournel 2000, private visit and dinner with a member of the Reybier family and 1-night stay at the Chartreuse of Cos d’Estournel for 4

Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.