A lot of wine events these days include silent auctions. These auctions typically help sustain the non-profit organizations putting on the event and are therefore quite important. And sometimes you can get a good deal on some very nice and/or unique wine in the auctions.

The downside of silent auctions is right in their name. They are silent. And, unless you're engaged in a passive-aggressive bidding war with some guy who keeps upping the ante on the lot you really want, most of these auctions are pretty boring.

Hospice du Rhone is never boring. Even it's auctions are exciting. The lots are unique and super-sized. The auction is also totally non-silent. We're talking a live auction run by a real, live, fast-talking, quick-witted livestock auctioneer with a team of guys pointing, encouraging, and yelling "Hah!" every time someone bids. To make things even more exciting, the auction takes place after a lunch during which multiple bottles of wine sit on every table and are poured freely. The wine continues to flow during the auction.

If you would like a little taste of the Hospice du Rhone auction action, watch this video featuring auctioneer Todd Ventura from this year's event:

Here's a list of this year's auction lots and the prices they sold for:
Lot 1: (the girl and the) fig Weekend for Four
Hands-on cooking or Salumi class with Chef John Toulze
Wine dinner at the girl and the fig
Wine dinner at ESTATE
Brunch at the fig café
Magnum of Tres Bonnes Annees Syrah
Winery visits arranged by Sondra Bernstein
Sold for $5,000.

Lot 2: Jonata vertical in magnum
2004 - 2007 Syrah La Sangre de Jonata

Sold for $1,400

Lot 3: Domaine Francois Villard, 3 magnums each
2007 Saint Joseph Rouge Reflet

2007 Saint Joseph Rouge Mairlant
2007 Cote Rotie Le Gallet Blanc

2007 Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes

Sold for $5,500

Lot 4: Torbreck
2005 The Struie, 3 liter
2005 RunRig, 3 liter

2005 The Steading, 3 liter

2005 Descendant, 3 liter
Sold for $4,600

Lot 5: Rhone Rangers, Paso Robles Chapter
37 magnums, one from each member of the chapter
Sold for $5,000

Lot 6: Wines of South Africa Seminar Sampler
2006 Boekenhoutsloof, 3 liter

2006 De Trafford Shiraz, magnum

2008 Mullineux Family Shirah, magnum
2009 Mullineux Family White Blend, magnum

2007 Sadie Family Columella, magnum
2003 Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards Syrah Theta, magnum
Sold for $1,700

Lot 7: Boulevard Restaurant Dinner for Four
Four-course dinner
2005 Chateau Grillet

2007 Chateau de Beaucastel Blanc “VV”

2007 Saxum, James Berry Vineyard

2007 Clos de Papes, Chateauneuf du Pape
1995 Guigal La Mouline

Sold for $5,000

Lot 8: Three Winery Paso Robles GSM Blend
Hug Cellars, half- barrel (10 cases)
Herman Story, half-barrel

McPrice Myers, half-barrel

Sold for $5,600

Lot 9: Domaine Mathilde et Yves Gangloff
2004 Condrieu, one magnum

2006 Condrieu, one magnum
2005 Cote-Rotie, Sereine Noire, two magnums

2006 Cote-Rotie, Sereine Noire, two magnums

2007 Cote-Rotie, Sereine Noire, one magnum
2006 Cote-Rotie, La Barbarine, three magnums

2007 Cote-Rotie, La Barbarine, two magnums

Sold for $5,500

Lot 10: Long Shadow Vintners - Justin Vineyards Collaboration
50-50 blend of Columbia Valley, Washington and Paso Robles Syrah

Winemakers John Duvall & Kevin Sass

10 cases

Sold for $3,800

Lot 10A: Wines from the “Four Amigos”

Yves, Cuilleron, Pierre Gaillard, Yves Gangloff & Francois Villard
2008 Condrieu, magnum

2008 Cornas, magnum

2007 Vin de Pays, 2 magnums

2008 Cote-Rotie, 2 magnums
2008 Saint Joseph, 2 magnums

...and more!

Sold for $3,300

Lot 11: Alban Dinner for Four with Cellar-Selected Wines

Dinner prepared by John Alban, Vicki Carroll and José Dahan (Et Voila Restaurant)
2004 Alban Roussanne, Edna Valley

2003 Linne Calodo, Stick and Stones

1999 Alban Grenache, Edna Valley

1998 Sine Qua Non, Hospice du Rhone Exclusive, Central Coast

1998 Chateau de Beaucastel, Chateauneuf du Pape

1998 Chateauneuf du Pape (Alban Family Cellar Selections)
Sold for $5,500

Lot 12: Syndicat Tavel
14 different Tavel rosé producers, 1 bottle each
Private tour of Tavel with Sandra Gay of Syndicat Tavel

Sold for $2,600

Lot 13: Le Vins de Vienne

2007 Cote-Rotie Les Essartrailles, 3 magnums

2007 Saint Joseph, Les Archeveques, 3 magnums

2007 Taburnum Vin de Pays Collines Rhodaniennes, 3 magnums

2006 Hermitage Les Chirats de Saint Christophe, 3 magnums

Sold for $3,000

Lot 14: Qupé
2008 Syrah Sonnie’s Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, Edna Valley
One 3-liter, two magnums, six 750ml

Sold for $2,100

Lot 15: Domaine Yves Cuilleron
2007 Saint Joseph Rouge Les Serines, 6 magnums

2007 Cote-Rotie Terres Sombres, 6 magnums

Sold for $6,000

Lot 16: Bonny Doon Vineyard
Dinner for 12 with Randall Grahm at the Cellar Door Cafe with Library Wines

2008 Le Cigar Volant, 6 signed magnums plus 18 750ml bottles

Sold for $3,000

Lot 17: Three Hundred Point Lot

One magnum each of three Rhone wines that received 100 points from Wine Advocate
2007 Les Combe des Fours

2007 Deus Ex Machina
2007 Santus Santorum

Sold for $4,500

Lot 18: Saxum Vineyards
2007 Saxum Bone Rock, James Berry Vineyard, 3-liter bottle
Sold for $3,100

Lot 19: Miner Family Vineyards
2007 Odyssey Rhone Blend, 6 magnums
2008 Odyssey Rhone Blend, 6 magnums

2007 La Diligence Syrah, 6 magnums
2008 La Diligence Syrah, 6 magnums

Sold for $3,800

Lot 20: Villa Creek
Villa Creek Locavore Feast for Four with Cris and JoAnn Cherry
Wines to include:
2001 Cellars Cacpanes Cabrida Falset

2002 Three for One, Cuilleron/Gangloff/Villard, Rhone Valley

2005 Alban Vineyards Lorraine, Edna Valley
2005 Clos Erasmus, Priorat

2007 Chateau de Saint Cosme, Valbelle, Gigondas
2006 Saxum 32 James Berry Vineyard

2006 Sine Qua Non Raven No. 1, Central Coast

Plus two rooms at the hotel and a VIP barrel tour at the winery

Sold for $3,900

Lot 21: L’Aventure Winery
2008 L’Aventure Estate Cuvée, magnum

2008 L’Aventure Cote a Cote, magnum

2008 L’Aventure Le Grand Vergot, magnum

2009 L’Aventure Roussanne Estate, magnum

VIP Tour and Tasting for Six, including barrel tasting

Sold for $2,100

Lot 22: Paul Lato Wines
Winemaker Dinner for Six, seven courses prepared by Paul Lato

Served with Paul Lato wines
2008 Syrah Bien Nacido, six 750ml bottles to take home

Sold for $6,200

Lot 23: Eric Solomon Selections
Priorat Experience for Four & Top of the Priorat Wine offering

One night accommodations at the Cal Llop in Gratallops boutique hotel
Dinner with Eric & Daphne Solomon at their home in Gratallops with wines from their cellar

Vineyard tour of Priorat with the Solomons
Cellar tour and barrel tasting at Clos Erasmus

Cellar tour and tastings at other Priorat wineries 
(airfare not included)
2005 Closa Batllet Tinto, 750ml

2005 Bodegas Mas Alta La Creu Alta, 750ml

2006 Mas d’en Compte Planots, 750ml

2006 Mas Doix Costers de Vinyes Velles, 750ml

2007 Celler de l’Encastell Roquers de Porrera, 750ml
2007 Vinya del Vuit, 750ml

Sold for $5,500

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