Friday, June 4
Taste Napa Valley
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Rubicon Estate, Rutherford
The event name is taken quite literally, as more than 2,000 people gather to taste the best of Napa Valley’s wines and restaurants. Francis Ford Coppola’s historic Rubicon Estate will provide the majestic backdrop for the 2010 Taste, and more than 100 local vintners serve as the day’s hosts, pouring their finest releases to revelers. They are joined by dozens of restaurateurs, chefs, and artisans who hold court in the outdoor marketplace. Inside, guests can peruse the E-Auction lots and place last-minute bids (the E-Auction started online weeks before the event), and also check out the Barrel Tasting & Auction, where bids are placed on still-aging wines.
Friday Night in Napa Valley
The vintners will once again open their doors and welcome guests into their estates for dinner experiences like no other.
Haute Highlights
A French-Inspired Napa Valley Experience @ Vineyard 7 & 8
Following a tour of the caves and a barrel tasting of future wines, 16 guests will indulge in a five-course meal from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon restaurant while taking in the spectacular sunset from the top of Spring Mountain.
Decadent Dining in the Caves @ Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Stag’s Leap is an integral part of the history of Napa Valley; when it’s 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon won the Judgment of Paris, it put the wine region on the international map. For this experience, Stag’s Leap winemaker will be digging into the cellar to bring out some of the best vintages while also providing tastings of yet-to-be-released wines. The 20 guests also will enjoy truffles, caviar, and other delicacies prepared by Chef Ken Frank of La Toque.
What We Give @ Opus One
An evening at Opus One is certainly cause to break out the good stuff, which 20 guests will do for this black-tie event—the only formal gathering of the evening, which includes a five-course dinner paired with five vintages from Opus One’s cellars.
Dinner @ Harlan Estate
This is your opportunity to experience the wines that Wine Enthusiast awarded a perfect 100 points. Bill and Deborah Harlan will welcome 14 guests for an intimate evening of elegant cuisine and “more than a couple” of vintages from their celebrated cellar.
Other options
Dinner @ Araujo Estate Wines; Evening of Romance @ Bialla Vineyards; An Evening @ Blackbird Vineyards; Sunset Spectacular @ CADE Estate Winery; A Perfect Blend @ Colgin Cellars; A Constant Soiree @ Constant; A “Wild” Table Under the Stars @ Continuum Estate; A Cornicopia of Flavors: From Farm to Table @ Covenant; Dinner @ Dalla Valle Vineyards; A Casual Evening @ Diamond Creek Vineyards; Big Night @ Gargiulo Vineyards; Hedonism @ JP Harbison; Caviste Affair @ Lokoya; A Meteor Lands in Napa @ Meteor Vineyard; An Evening with M by Michael Mondavi @ The Michael Mondavi Family; An Evening of Unrestrained Reserve @ O’Brien Estate; Convivium @ Ovid Napa Valley; Cave Dweller’s Dinner @ Porter Family Vineyards; A Platinum Anniversary @ Pride Mountain Vineyards; Evening @ Sabina Vineyards; June, Moon, Spoon @ Shafer Vineyards; An Epic Night to Remember @ Staglin Family Vineyard; Estate Property Dinner @ Whitehall Lane Winery; Historical Perspective @ William Cole Vineyards; Dinner in the Gardens @ Wolf Family Vineyards.
Saturday, June 5
Live Auction Lot Preview and Pre-Auction Lunch on the Lawn
Things are being done a little differently this year. In the past, full-package guests enjoyed a Day in Napa Valley on Saturday, with lunch at various vineyards, but for 2010, all of the day’s events have been centralized to Meadowood Napa Valley, the birthplace of the auction 29 years ago. From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., guests will preview the 40 mega-lots specially selected by a jury for the Live Auction. On the lawn, lunch will be prepared by 11 acclaimed gentleman chefs hailing from around the nation.
Live Auction
Following the preview, guests will gather in the main tent for the highlight of the weekend: the Live Auction. From 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., paddles will be flying as guests try to outbid each other for some pretty impressive packages donated by vineyards, sponsors, and patrons.
Haute Highlights
Napa Valley Vintners: Fund a Need
Support vital local programs that give children the building blocks to lead healthy, productive lives. Bids fund healthcare, educational programs, provide mentors, child advocates and home nurse visits, and more.
B Cellars: Hook, Line, & Sinker
Four days/three nights at Talon Lodge, Alaska’s premier fishing lodge on an eight-acre private island with B Cellars owner/winemaker Jim Borsack.
Alpha Omega: U.S. Open Pebble Beach or AT&T Pro-AM
After a night in Rutherford, four guests will hop a private jet to Pebble Beach, where they will spend five days and four nights being treated like royalty (read: being carted around in a limousine, yachting on the USS Omega, unlimited golfing, four-course wine dinners, and VIP access to either the U.S. Open in 2010 or the AT&T Pro-AM in 2011).
Casa Piena: Super Bowl 2011
Tickets for four to the Super Bowl at Dallas Cowboy Stadium, complete with passes to the Commissioner’s Party and the NFL Gala, along with an afternoon event with NFL greats, and a pre-game tailgate—Napa Valley style.
Frank Family Vineyards and Promise: All in the Family
This is your chance to be a star: one lucky winner gets a walk-on role on ABC’s All in the Family. This package comes complete with three nights at the Four Seasons, Beverly Hills, followed by a three-night stay at Esperanza, an Auberge Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Post-Auction Dinner & Party
After working up an appetite by waiving around their paddles, guests’ will be satiated by a fine dining experience courtesy of a collection of lady chefs. During the meal, each table will be hosted by a vintner. The magical evening will conclude with dancing under the stars.
Sunday, June 6
Farewell Fête & Announcement of Results
Don’t worry—it’s not over yet. Gather with your newfound friends from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Vintners Glen at Meadowood Napa Valley for more food and more wine, making your trip back home that much more enjoyable. And don’t be late—at 10:30 a.m., the Napa Valley Vintners will announce how much was raised over the course of the auction to support local programs. It is a fitting way to end such a magical weekend.
Travel
May 12, 2010On the Links
