Laithwaites raises £12,600 for Macmillan Cancer Support

Published: 24 May, 2011

Laithwaites Wine has raised £12,600 for for Macmillan Cancer Support after it auctioned eighteen lots of wine on the last night of the London International Wine Fair, LIWF.

Co-chariman of the International Wine Challenge, IWC, Charles Metcalfe, turn auctioneer to encourage enthusiastic bidding on rare wines donated by some of France's top wine houses, including Château Lafite and Château Ausone.

The aim to raise £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support was exceeded when £2,600 was raised above that target.

The auction, held at Laithwaites London wine store, The Arch, marked the end of an historic voyage, organised by Tony Laithwaite, to ship wine from Bordeaux to London the old way - aboard a wooden sail boat.

He chartered a 100ft wooden ketch, The Irene of Bridgewater, which took almost two weeks from start to finish.

Beginning May 6, the Irene carried Laithwaites Le Chai wine-maker, Mark Hoddy and a cargo of 9,072 bottles of a special reserve limited edition Laithwaites Claret, Le Voyage du Chai au Quai 2009 made at Laithwaites Bordeaux winery, Le Chai au Quai.

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