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Willamette Pinot auction breaks US$1m mark
The fourth Willamette Pinot Noir Auction set a new bar at the weekend with the event raising US$1 million overall to benefit the region.
Photo credit: Easton Richmond Photography
In total, 92 lots of wine were offered, 86 of Pinot Noir and six of Chardonnay and each sold in quantities of five, 10 or 20 cases.
The auction alone realised $1m, with the final lot, five cases of Duck Pond Pinot Noir going for $60,000 to tip the total into its first million.
With sponsorship and ticket sales the event raised $1.1m with all proceeds going towards future funding of marketing and educational initiatives run by the Willamette Valley Wineries Association.
The average price per bottle this year was $160, a 29% increase on 2018 and up 81% since the first auction in 2016.
Eugenia Keegan, Oregon general manager for Jackson Family Wines said: “This auction was a clear demonstration of the public’s growing interest in Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and the stunning quality of the 2017 vintage.”