A charity auction of vintage wines organised by Open Care – Servizi per l’arte in collaboration with the auction house Bonhams that was held on 3 December 2012 in the Frigoriferi Milanesi for the benefit of the Fondazione Francesca Rava – NPH Italia Onlus [Onlus - Not-for-profit organisation].

The proceeds from the sales were devolved to supporting the Paediatric Hospital N.P.H. Saint Damien in Haiti which, as the only free paediatric unit on the island, assists 80,000 children a year.

The unique auctioneer of In vino levitas was the comic and television artist Andrea Pellizzari who has served as testimonial to the Fondazione Francesca Rava – N.P.H. Italia Onlus which, on this occasion, presented his CD in support of the children of Haiti “The Man with the Mac”, in which he stars in the role of Mr Brown, the eccentric English teacher of the Iene [Italian satirical television programme].

The wines were donated by a private collector who asked Open Care to develop a valorisation project for charitable purposes.  Open Care, therefore, identified in the Fondazione Francesca Rava, the most suitable interlocutor in relation to the importance and urgency of its humanitarian projects and Bonhams for the organisation of the auction.

Almost 300 enthusiasts and collectors crowded the areas of the Frigoriferi Milanesi. 600 lots were auctioned, all bought, for a total of 702 items – bottles and magnums. Each lot received at least 10 bids (upwards offers) and the 5 magnums of Amarone della Valpolicella, were auctioned for 1,200 Euros. The total proceeds for the evening were 41,200 Euros.

Amongst the special guests of the evening were Rosalba Forciniti, the winner of the bronze medal for judo at the London Olympics, who had just returned from Haiti where she had given hope through her sport to the children orphaned in the earthquake and taken in by the NPH structures on the island, teaching them “to pick themselves up after they had fallen”.

 The protagonists of the evening were also the AIS [Associazione Italiana Sommelier] sommeliers who enabled the guests to taste the wines in 14 auction lots, illustrating their particular value and qualities.