Rioja wines have played a special role in the Charity Gala organised in London and Miami by the Global Gift Foundation, created by the Latin American artist Eva Longoria to help the integration of disadvantaged people. The D.O.Ca. Rioja is giving the actress the 18th Prestigio Rioja Prize in 2016 for her exemplary dedication to philanthropic activities.
The auction of a collection of six great Rioja vintages fetched £50,000. The successful bidder was the businessman Farhad Moshiri, one of the current owners of Arsenal F.C. The funds will be used for charitable purposes by the Global Gift Foundation, organiser of the gala held on 30 November at London’s Four Seasons hotel. The auctioned wines were Marqués de Riscal 1951, Campo Viejo 1964, Martínez Lacuesta 1970, Viña Tondonia 1973, Faustino I 1978 and Viña Pomal 1978, all of them donated by their respective wineries. Rioja was also the official wine of the gala dinner, attended by some 250 participants, among which were philanthropists, entrepreneurs and celebrities including Victoria Beckham, Anastacia and Ronan Keating.
Rioja was also the official wine at the gala held in Miami by Global Gift Foundation USA. I was the first organised in the United States, with the special appearance of Eva Longoria and Ricky Martin. The gala raised more than $200.000 for the foundations of both artists. Eva Longoria’s foundation provides education and opportunities to foster an entrepreneurial spirit among women, while Ricky Martin’s foundation works for the welfare of children around the world in areas such as education, health and social justice. The gala coincided with one of the most important art fairs in the world, Art Basel, and was attended by 150 guests, including celebrities like philanthropist billionaire Jorge Pérez, NBA star Scottie Pippen and supermodel Esther Cañadas.
