2023 Auction Lots

1 – 1.5 Liter 2013 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon
1 – 1.5 Liter 2014 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon
1 – 1.5 Liter 2015 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon
1 – 1.5 Liter 2016 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon
1 – 1.5 Liter 2017 Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon

 Seven (7) day magical journey through Portugal, from the capital to the vineyards for two (2) couples

Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from any major city in the contiguous United States to Lisbon, Portugal for two (2) couples
VIP Meet and Greet, roundtrip airport services with customs assistance
Private ground transportation for stated activities

Lisbon, Portugal:
Three (3) nights’ accommodations in Executive Suites at Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa for two (2) couples
Full day tour of Sintra, Estoril and Cascais with a local guide, English-speaking driver and stops at palaces, monuments, beaches, local shops and a visit to the Palace of Sintra
Evening fado show with mesmerizing fado music and a traditional Portuguese dinner

Porto, Portugal:
Two (2) nights’ accommodations at the Relais & Châteaux The Yeatman Hotel for two (2) couples
Exclusive guided tour and tasting in a private room at Taylor’s Port Lodge
Private wine tasting at Kopke Wine House
Exclusive private tour and Port tasting at W. & J. Graham’s
Reception and dinner with Dr. António Amorim, Chairman and CEO of Corticeira Amorim, at his private residence
Special lunches, dinners and visits for two days planned by the Gandona Estate team

Douro, Portugal:
Two (2) nights’ accommodation at Relais & Châteaux Quinta Nova Winery House for two (2) couples
Private tour and tastings at Quinta do Crasto and Quinta do Noval with proprietors or winemakers
Lunch at BOMFIM 1896 at Quinta BOMFIM
Dinner at The Vintage House in Pinhão
Private cruise in a rabelo to Quinta de São José, followed by a wine tasting
Special lunches, dinners and visits for two days planned by Portocork

With enough passion and luck, everything in life comes full circle: just ask vintner Manuel Pires of Gandona Estate on Napa’s Pritchard Hill.

Manuel spent his childhood summers at his grandfather’s quinta (farm) in the Douro Valley, helping to grow grapes and olives that were sold to nearby villages. His grandfather was known to the locals as gandona, or humble man, and Manuel always dreamed of returning to that life. His dream was realized in 2006 when he and his wife bought an estate on Pritchard Hill and named it Gandona after his grandfather. The mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon produced from that vineyard is a tribute to his roots.

The winning bidders will spend one week discovering the very best of Portugal’s wine and food during an immersion into the country. From the urban sophistication of Lisbon to the traditions of Porto and the emerging wine region of the Douro, you’ll come away with an inside look at one of Europe’s great cultures.

Your journey begins in the capital, Lisbon, where you’ll spend three nights in Executive Suites at the Tivoli on Avenida Liberdade Lisboa. Lisbon will be your jumping-off point to explore the nearby, picturesque towns of the Portuguese Riviera: Sintra, Estorial and Cascais. All three villages are filled with historical monuments, along with luxury hotels and sweeping vistas of the sea. You’ll tour the Palace of Sintra, the best-preserved royal residence in Portugal, now a museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From Lisbon, you’ll travel up the coast to Porto, the country’s second-largest city and the traditional center of the Port wine trade. Your home base will be The Yeatman Hotel, nestled on a hill over the city amidst the famous lodges.

During your time in the city, you’ll be exposed to the full range of Port wine, from vintage Port to Colheitas (vintage-dated tawnies). You’ll receive a private tour of Taylor Fladgate, founded in 1692 and regarded by many as the benchmark producer of vintage Port. Your tour will culminate in an exclusive tasting in Taylor’s Port Lodge.

Your next stop will be the house of W. & J. Graham’s, owned by Symington Family Estates, where you will also receive a private tour and tasting. Graham’s has been a producer of outstanding Vintage Port for well over a century, consistently making wines known for their remarkable richness, concentration and firm tannic structure—a combination which yields impressive longevity.

Founded in 1638, Kopke is the world’s oldest Port house. While they also make Vintage Port and LBV, Kopke is best known for their Colheitas—tawny Ports containing grapes from a single, exceptional vintage, aged in wood for a minimum of seven years (and generally longer). Your private tasting will take place in the historic Kopke house in Vila Nova de Gaia.

Through the centuries, cork closures have played a huge role in the commercial success of Port. To gain an appreciation of its importance, you’ll meet Dr. António Amorim, Chairman and CEO of the cork company that bears his name. Dr. Amorim will host you for a reception and dinner at his home and accompanied by dignitaries from various Portuguese wine estates, during which you’ll learn about his conscientious “bark to bottle” process.

Before leaving Portugal, you’ll explore the Douro Valley, one of the country’s most exciting wine regions. While some quintas in the area make Vintage Port, the Douro has also gained a reputation as a leading producer of excellent, dry red table wine. You’ll stay at the Relais & Châteaux property of Quinta Nova, one of the most highly rated wine tourism sites in Portugal.

The history of the region will come alive during a cruise on a rabelo, the traditional flat-bottomed wooden cargo boat used for centuries to transport people and goods along the Douro River. Your destination is Quinta de São José, a unique wine estate dedicated to health and wellness, where you’ll sample the combination of Ports and dry Douro reds the property is known for.

Throughout the trip, your party will enjoy special lunches and dinners planned by the Gandona Estate and Portocork teams at top restaurants in the region, including BOMFIM 1896 and The Vintage House.

In addition, the winning bidders will receive a vertical collection of Gandona Cabernet Sauvignon from 2013 through 2017, in Magnum format—the property’s flagship wine, made from the oldest vines on the estate.

This lot provides an immersion into the traditions and delights of Portugal that visitors seldom get a chance to see. After your week in the country, there’s a good chance that you—like Manuel Pires—will fall in love with the culture and dream of returning.

Insider's Info

Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from any major city in the contiguous United States to Lisbon, Portugal is included. VIP Meet and Greet, roundtrip airport services with customs assistance, airport transfers and ground transportation to all stated activities are included. Meals and beverages in Lisbon are only included as listed. Lunches and dinners with paired wines and non-alcoholic beverages are included in Porto and Douro and planned by the Gandona Estates and Portocork teams. Any additional food or beverages are at the winning bidders’ expense. Tours and meal locations are subject to change based on availability. Trip to be taken on mutually agreeable dates and based on availability.

Donor

Gandona Estate and Portocork

With special thanks to Martha Good Luxury Travel