WILLAMETTE VALLEY COLLECTORS' AUCTION
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We’re thrilled to announce the second annual Willamette Valley Collectors’ Auction in partnership with Zachys. This event is a strategic marketing opportunity and a means to diversify WVWA funding sources.
Whether your winery is small or large, primarily DTC or widely-distributed, this is an opportunity to get your brand in front of high-end wine collectors. All participants will benefit from exposure to the Zachys audience and promotion from the WVWA.
The first-ever Collectors’ Auction powered by Zachys took place in April 2022, with 89 lots won by 62 buyers from 21 states and two countries. It raised $115,000 for the WVWA.
We know that your libraries have been tapped for other events and club allocations throughout the pandemic and the challenges of the 2020 vintage. Your contribution to the association and the collective marketing of Willamette Valley wines is what makes a partnership like this possible. Thank you for your collaboration and participation on behalf of our entire region.
REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023 COLLECTORS' AUCTION IS CLOSED.
We hope you'll join us next year!
COLLECTORS AUCTION BENEFITS:
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Builds long-term prestige of the Willamette Valley
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Educates and promotes the “age-ability” of Willamette Valley Pinot noir
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Places our wines in the cellars of collectors around the world
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Entices verified high-value buyers to visit the Willamette Valley, coupling wine collections with winery experiences
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Promotes and elevates participating wineries
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Exposes a new, global audience of verified collectors to your brand and wines
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Aligns participating wineries with the world-renowned Zachys Wine Auction House
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Raises critical funding for the WVWA
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Supports the WVWA’s valuable diverse marketing programs that drive visitation, sales, and interest in all WVWA member wineries and the Willamette Valley region
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A note from a 2021 participating winery: "We hosted our Zachys lot winner this past weekend and it was a smashing success. They joined our club and took home additional wine on top of their auction lot!"
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Completely separate from the annual WVWA Trade Auction, which will take place August 10, 2023.
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Entirely virtual, taking place online March 28 - April 6, 2023, with a live close on April 6.
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Powered by Zachys, the leading fine wine auction house. This is a continuation of the partnership between Zachys and the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, offering us incredible exposure to their audience of high net worth wine consumers around the world. Zachys provides a high-performing auction platform, proven model with regional auctions, catalog development, marketing amplification, and wine auction house best practices. Willamette Valley will be featured on their website among the Zachys world-renowned auction circuit.
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A consumer auction, open to all types of wine collectors.
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Promoted by the WVWA and participating wineries to their customer lists, and the Zachys marketing team to their list of 34,000 prospective bidders.
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A platform for Willamette Valley education to emphasize the collectibility and age-worthiness of Willamette Valley wines, including a virtual seminar led by a prominent member of the wine media.
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Wine | Each lot must be a collection that is not available elsewhere, featuring exceptional wines worthy of age. Wineries may contribute more than one lot.
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VIP Experience | Each wine lot also includes an in-person winery or tasting experience for the buyer. (Virtual experiences are accepted, although we know that bringing a buyer to the region is the best way to further your relationship with them as a customer.) This is our opportunity to engage buyers beyond the auction purchase to prompt a future visit that results in additional sales.
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Digital Assets | Participating wineries will submit a photo and description to accompany their lot.
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Marketing | All participants are asked to share this auction with their club members and/or top customers.
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Shipping/Fulfillment | Wines are shipped directly from the winery to the buyer, and shipping cost is the responsibility of the buyer. Wineries will bill the buyer for the cost of shipping.
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Large format bottles and/or 750ml bottles. Minimum lot size: six 750ml bottles, three magnums or equivalent large format.
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Verticals, horizontals, single vineyard collections, etc. The more creative and exclusive, the better! What sells is rarity. Large formats are great. Signed bottles are preferred. The wine or collection of wines must not be available for purchase as a set elsewhere: your website, your tasting room, online retailer. Literally, “you can’t put a price on it.” Think about why you are putting forward these particular wines—curating a lot with intention that tells a story. For those with limited library selections, you may contribute a “custom cuvée” where the winning buyer blends their own wine from your current vintage.
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Rare and unique library wines, or newer wines with an emphasis on age-ability and collectible bottles.
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Pinot noir or other varieties.
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Single-winery selections or multi-winery collaborations. If you’re interested in putting together a collaborative lot, please email emily@willamettewines.com.
View the 2022 catalog for auction lot examples.
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Winery members are encouraged to partner with other brands to create collaborative lots and VIP experiences! Collaborative lots emphasize the Willamette Valley community and create unique collections and experiences for Collectors’ Auction buyers. You may choose to collaborate with wines (like a single-vineyard horizontal from multiple brands) or hospitality partners (like adding lodging and dining to your VIP experience).
FUNDRAISING
Proceeds from the Collectors’ Auction fund WVWA programs to promote, preserve and advance the prestige of Oregon’s Willamette Valley AVA and its wines. Membership dues are 20-25% of the WVWA revenue . The Trade Auction and the Collectors’ Auction allow the association to continue funding:
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Year-round proactive media relations for the Willamette Valley and hyper-focused media relations for the Auction (Charles Curtis MW in 2021 as an example)
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High performance website and CRM system. Our website www.willamettewines.com is currently the country’s best-performing regional wine association website.
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Digital asset library (photography, videography)
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Year-round digital marketing including expanded seasonal campaigns
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More trade related activities (seminars, road trips, Pinot in the City) and assets (fact cards, maps)
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Lobbyist on retainer to ensure the WVWA perspective is included in industry dialogue
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Membership support through education and crisis management
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Kick-starting the WVWA philanthropy efforts (James Beard Foundation, Home that Wine Country Built) and the 2022 launch of the Willamette Valley Wine Foundation
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Professional staff
Read the WVWA Annual Report for more.