The world’s top wine producers are responding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine in an innovative way. Crurated, the London-based membership wine community designed to connect connoisseurs with world-class producers, has announced it’s dedicating this week to The All Heart Auction, an online event auctioning rare wines from world renowned producers to support humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian people.
“As a Google director for publishers across emerging markets, I was also looking after Ukraine. I have many relationships with partners and colleagues that are struggling in this challenging phase. I felt the need to do something to raise funds and awareness about what’s happening so we could do our best to support. As a fast-paced technology company it’s important to take advantage of this ability and put it in service of those in need,” explains Alfonso de Gaetano, founder of Crurated.
Selected producers donating wines for the auction include Louis Roederer Cristal, Domaine Meo-Camuzet, and Domaine Dujac among many others. The initial value of the more than 250 bottles of wine pre-auction totals $100 000 (approx. R1.5 million).
Alfonso de Gaetano founder of Crurated.
A platform with a purpose
The team from Crurated has also developed a platform that offers clients an accompanying NFT with each purchase. Recorded forever on the blockchain, the NFT verifies authenticity of the bottle and provides other important details including ownership history, vintage, vineyard location, varietal, and other key details.
The NFTs are easily accessible by tapping on an NFC or RFID enabled phone. The bottle history is also updated via a new blockchain recording anytime the wine is resold and the token moves from one client to another. The company uses Polygon technology for NFTs and blockchain.
“We already have more than 50 world class producers that offered rare bottles and formats for the charity auction,” says Alfonso. “There are no South African wines in the auction because our business started in Italy and France but we are planning to expand our footprint outside Europe from 2023.
“The South African wine industry and people in South Africa that love some of the best wines from Italy and France can submit bids for the lots. We have a free storage solution in Burgundy for clients. Clients can store them there and then decide where and when to drink them without any additional charges.”
Money from the auction will be distributed to Save the Children, Red Cross, UNICEF, and The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
“It has been amazing watching the world unite to help the people of Ukraine. Our auction initiative represents how I feel about wine and its ability to offer such a generous gift to the world,” says Alfonso.
“We are anticipating an exciting auction with generous donors pitching in to help lessen the humanitarian crisis.”
If you would like to help lessen the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine through this initiative, register for an account at www.crurated.com. Non-members can sign-up for a free Explorer.
