Giuseppe Penone designs Barolo labels for charity auction at Castello di Grinzane Cavour

The first edition of Barolo en primeur, a charity auction coordinated by Christie's, raised €600,000 on October 30 at Castello di Grinzane Cavour, with an average price of €125 per bottle. The event featured 14 barriques of Barolo Gustava 2020, each paired with a solidarity project. Artist Giuseppe Penone created exclusive labels for the approximately 300 bottles per barrique, depicting a vine leaf and a hand to symbolize the bond between wine and producer. Each barrique also includes an NFT certificate by critic Antonio Galloni. The auction, conducted by Christie's Italy director Cristiano De Lorenzo, connected live with New York and attracted international bidders. Proceeds support projects including art education in China by the Est-Ovest Philanthropic Forum, contemporary art access at Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, restoration of Villa Arconati's Cantinone del 1600 by Fondazione Augusto Rancilio, and landscape preservation by Parco Culturale Alta Langa. A final auction for charity Mother's Choice will occur on November 14 at the same venue, streamed live to Hong Kong. The wine, from a nearly 4-hectare vineyard at the foot of the castle in a UNESCO World Heritage area, will be released in January 2024 after mandatory aging.