Bidding is now open for this year's fine-wine extravaganza in aid of the Pebbles Project for disadvantaged children in South Africa on Saturday 11 Sep. It will be held at Michelin-starred restaurant The Square in their private room and organiser Keith Prothero promises that 'an extraordinary menu will be prepared at a cost of £110 a head. I shall list the menu a few weeks before the dinner'.
The wines he is so far planning to serve are (not necessarily in this order):
Bollinger Grande Année 1990 in magnum
Marqués de Murrieta, Ygay Reserva Especial Blanco 1950 Rioja
Louis Jadot, Les Demoiselles Grand Cru1985 Chevalier-Montrachet
Michel Niellon Grand Cru 1996 Chevalier-Montrachet
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 1950 Graves
Ch Palmer 1961 Margaux
Ch La Tour Haut-Brion 1982 Graves
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 1982 Graves
Ch Haut-Brion 1982 Graves
Ch La Mission Haut-Brion 1989 Graves
Ch Cheval Blanc 1990 St-Émilion
Henri Jayer, Meurgers 1986 Nuits-St-Georges in magnum
Emmanuel Rouget Grand Cru 1990 Échezeaux
Paul Jaboulet Ainé, La Chapelle 1978 Hermitage
Paul Jaboulet Ainé, La Chapelle 1990 Hermitage
J L Chave 1990 Hermitage
Ch d'Yquem 1950 Sauternes
Ch Climens 1988 Barsac
Leacock Solera 1808 Madeira
Keith Prothero has very kindly invited me to this as guest of honour – hence all those 1950s. (The Mission 1950 was in great condition last time I tried it some years ago; and Yquem 1950 is quite superb.)
This leaves 12 places up for auction and already there are bids for them in the £850-1,000 range, although to judge from past performance, there are likely to be bids over £1,000 as the date nears. Bids may be made either in the box below or directly to Keith Prothero at keith.prothero@gmail.com or +44 (0)7969 207 706.
All proceeds will go to Pebbles Project, which helps disadvantaged children in the Cape winelands suffering mainly from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. The bidding will close at noon London time on 28 Aug and the winning bidders will be asked to send their donations to www.justgiving.com/keithprothero, where the money is automatically transferred to Pebbles.
