Photo Credit: Jason Tinacci for the Napa Valley Vintners
How would you like to have John Legend perform a private concert for you and 29 of your besties atop the storied Wappo Hill estate? Or maybe you’d like to stock your wine cellar with a 35-year vertical collection of Opus One magnums stretching from 1979 to 2013 and enjoy a luxe, two-week French vacation? Well, these offerings could be yours if you’ve got what it takes at this year’s Live Auction during Auction Napa Valley 2015, taking place June 4-7. As the date draws nears, the excitement builds. The lots for the Live Auction, Barrel Tasting and E-Auction are now available to preview at auctionnapavalley.org, and we’ve selected eight of the hautest Live Auction lots that are sure to have paddles flying under the big tent on June 6 at Meadowood Napa Valley.
As you figure out what and how much you want to bid, keep in mind that Auction Napa Valley is the annual community fundraiser for the Napa Valley Vintners, a nonprofit trade association. Proceeds from Auction Napa Valley support community health and youth education in Napa County.
The Live Auction is where 50 dream lots of Napa Valley wines, world travel, collectible art and other once-in-a-lifetime experiences wow the crowd and inspire generous bids. New this year are 10 “Flash Round” lots where the bidding begins at $100,000 and if not grabbed right away, will go down in price until the first paddle is raised.
Here are eight of the lots that we’re most crazy about with descriptions from the wineries themselves.
Winery: Chairmen’s Lot (Opus One)
Title: Families for Families: A 35th Anniversary Celebration
• 35 BOTTLES OF WINE, AS NOTED
• FIRST-CLASS AIRFARE TO PARIS FOR 2 COUPLES
• PRIVATE JET SERVICE BETWEEN EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS FOR 2 COUPLES
• GROUND TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN DESTINATIONS IN EUROPE FOR TWO COUPLES
• 14 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES
• ALL MEALS FOR 14 DAYS FOR 2 COUPLES
• PRIVATE TOURS THROUGHOUT EXCURSIONS FOR 2 COUPLES
• BUSINESS-CLASS AIRFARE TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR 2 COUPLES
The Opus One team is proud to serve as honorary chair of the 35th annual Auction Napa Valley. Opus One made its debut at the very first Auction in 1981, so each Auction since has been a special anniversary celebration for us. In tribute to the Auction Napa Valley’s tremendous success during the past 35 years, we are offering an exceptional 35-year vertical collection of magnums stretching from 1979 to 2013.
Winery: Hill Family Estate
Title: A Day in the Life of a Navy SEAL
• 25 bottles of Napa Valley wine, as noted
• 3 hours of private jet transportation to and/or from San Diego (donated by Wheels Up)
• 3 nights’ lodging (2 suites) at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Private welcome dinner with Dean Cain and Billy Bush at Veladora Restaurant for 4
One-day Navy SEAL immersion experience for 4
• Chef’s Tasting Menu at George’s at The Cove restaurant in La Jolla for 4
• Dugout seats at a San Diego Padres’ game, with pre-game field access, for 4
• 4 personalized San Diego Padres’ jerseys
• Round of golf for 4 at a private club in Rancho Santa Fe
Hill Family Estate and the Navy SEALs extend this unprecedented chance for you to go behind the scenes and learn what it’s like to be a Navy SEAL.
Photo Credit: Bob McClenahan for Napa Valley Vintners
Wineries: NG: The Next Generation in Wine. Ahnfeldt Wines, Arkenstone, Baldacci Family Vineyards, Ghost Block, Broman Cellars, Burgess Cellars, Ceja Vineyards, Frias Family Vineyard, Hill Family Estate, Hoopes Vineyard, Judd’s Hill, Long Meadow Ranch Winery, Madonna Estate, Monticello Vineyards, PEJU, Robert Biale Vineyards, Sciandri Vineyards, Shadowbox Cellars, Sherwin Family Vineyards, Signorello Estate, Spelletich Family Wine Company, Trefethen Family Vineyards, Truchard Vineyards, Trinitas Cellars, V. Sattui Winery, Viader, ZD Wines
Title: The BottleRock Star Treatment
• 27 BOTTLES OF NAPA VALLEY WINES, AS NOTED
• DOMESTIC FIRST-CLASS AIRFARE FOR 2 COUPLES TO SAN FRANCISCO (SAME PLACE OF DEPARTURE)
• PIG ROAST FOR 4 AT FARMSTEAD THE NIGHT BEFORE BOTTLEROCK 2016 BEGINS
• 5 NIGHTS’ LODGING AT THE MERITAGE RESORT AND SPA FOR 2 COUPLES DURING BOTTLEROCK 2016
• 4 PLATINUM PASSES TO BOTTLEROCK 2016
OK. Now we’re rocking and rolling. And this isn’t your parent’s generation you’ll be grooving with, but rather the vintners of NG: The Next Generation in Wine who will be turning up the volume on this musical odyssey. As the winning bidder, you and three guests will be treated like rock stars.
Winery: Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate
Title: The Best of the Americas
• 1 BOTTLE OF NAPA VALLEY WINE, AS NOTED
• ROUND-TRIP, PRIVATE AIRFARE FOR 4 FROM BUENOS AIRES TO MENDOZA AND GARZÓN
• 2 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES AT BARDESSONO
• 3 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES AT BODEGA VISTALBA
• 2 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES IN GARZÓN
• 6 BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES AND DINNERS FOR 2 COUPLES
• OLIVE OIL TOUR AND TASTING FOR 2 COUPLES
• 3 WINERY TOURS FOR 2 COUPLES
• ROUND OF GOLF FOR 2 COUPLES
In its first Auction Napa Valley offering, Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate will seduce you with travel to the winegrowing regions of Napa Valley, Mendoza, Argentina and Garzón, Uruguay.
Photo Credit: Jason Tinacci for the Napa Valley Vintners
Winery: Colgin Cellars
Title: Colgin & Cucinelli: A Perfect Fit
• 4 BOTTLES OF NAPA VALLEY WINE, AS NOTED
• 1 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES AT HOTEL BEL AIR
• $10,000 BRUNELLO CUCINELLI SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT NEIMAN MARCUS, LOS ANGELES WITH PERSONAL SHOPPERS FOR 2 COUPLES
• PERSONAL STYLIST FOR EACH OF THE 2 COUPLES
• DINNER HOSTED BY ANN COLGIN AND JOE WENDER AT TOSCANA RESTAURANT FOR 2 COUPLES
• 2 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES IN PERUGIA, TUSCANY
• TOUR OF SOLOMEO AND THE BRUNELLO CUCINELLI HEADQUARTERS FOR 2 COUPLES
• DAY TOUR OF ASSISI AND SPELLO FOR 2 COUPLES
• 1 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES IN ASSISI
• GROUND TRANSPORTATION WHILE IN ITALY
If you have a passion for the artistry and craftsmanship of profound red wines and Italian fashion, you won’t be able to resist this invitation from Colgin Cellars and Brunello Cucinelli: a seamless trip perfectly tailored for two lucky couples, taking you from California to Italy and experiencing the best of both worlds.
Winery: Frank Family Vineyards
Title: And The Stars Fell Upon Us
• 6 BOTTLES OF NAPA VALLEY WINE, AS NOTED
• 2 NIGHTS’ LODGING IN LOS ANGELES FOR 1 COUPLE
• TOM FORD CLOTHING AND STYLING FOR 1 COUPLE
• HAIR AND MAKE-UP AT LUKARO SALON
• TICKETS TO THE EMMY AWARDS FOR 1 COUPLE
• ATTENDANCE AT GOVERNOR’S BALL FOR 1 COUPLE
• DINNER WITH RICH AND LESLIE FRANK AT SPAGO FOR 1 COUPLE
• TICKETS TO THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE’S LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS IN HOLLYWOOD FOR 1 COUPLE
• 2 NIGHTS’ LODGING AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LOS ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS FOR 1 COUPLE
• NETJETS AIR TRAVEL FROM LOS ANGELES TO NAPA VALLEY WITH RICH AND LESLIE FRANK FOR 1 COUPLE
Frank Family Vineyards invites you to a once-in-a-lifetime Hollywood experience. One lucky couple will walk the red carpet at the Emmy Awards with three-time president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Rich Frank and his wife Leslie, an Emmy-award winning journalist and former ABC newscaster.
Photo Credit: Bob McClenahan for Napa Valley Vintners
Winery: Lokoya
Title: The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports from Millionaires’ Row
• 17 BOTTLES OF NAPA VALLEY WINE, AS NOTED
• AIRFARE FOR 4
• 3 NIGHTS’ LODGING FOR 2 COUPLES AT STONESTREET FARM
• VISIT TO LANE’S END FARM
• VIP EVENT AT THE PRIVATE HOME OF BARBARA BANKE
• VIP TICKETS TO KENTUCKY DERBY FOR 4
• VIP TICKETS TO KENTUCKY OAKS FOR 4
• 2 $500 GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR DERBY HATS
• VIP TRANSPORTATION TO ALL EVENTS
• ALL MEALS INCLUDED
The greatest two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby, is yours in a way that it has never been before. Barbara Banke, owner of Lokoya Winery, has brought Auction Napa Valley and the world’s most famous horse race together for a VIP weekend at the 142nd Kentucky Derby.
Winery: Raymond Vineyards
Title: A Truly Legendary Evening
• 6 bottles of Napa Valley wine, as noted
• An intimate dinner for 30 atop Wappo Hill estate hosted by Raymond proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset and prepared by world-renowned chef Michel Cornu
• Private dinner performance for 30 by nine-time Grammy Award-winner, Golden Globe-winner and Oscar winner John Legend
• A rare collection of signed John Legend memorabilia
In what can only be described as a truly legendary evening, Jean-Charles Boisset and Gina Gallo will welcome the winning bidder and 29 guests to their home atop Wappo Hill, an iconic Napa Valley property gracefully poised on the valley floor’s highest knoll, with sweeping views north to Mt. St. Helena and south to the San Pablo Bay.
Photo Credit: Photo by Bob McClenahan for Napa Valley Vintners
For wine lovers around the globe who are not able to attend, the nearly 200 E-Auction lots are a treasure trove featuring many one-of-a-kind and older vintage wines and collections often not available to the public. Meals with winemakers, excursions into off-the-beaten-path areas of Napa Valley and overnight stays at winery homes enhance many of these lots. Wine enthusiasts can bid in the Auction Napa Valley E-Auction beginning Sunday, May 31 at noon PDT. The E-Auction closes in four waves starting at 8 p.m. PDT on Saturday, June 6.
Photo Credit: Jason Tinacci for the Napa Valley Vintners
Also available for preview are the Barrel Auction lots; 85 percent of the 120 wines offered at this year’s Napa Valley Barrel Auction, where Auction guests taste samples directly from barrels with the winemakers themselves, are from the much lauded 2013 vintage. The top 10 bidders on each lot secure a future release case of the wine.
Absentee bids can be placed online and a few Complete Auction Napa Valley Experience packages, which also include vintner-hosted dinners and other hospitality extras, are still available for purchase.
To preview all the lots, purchase tickets, and register to bid in the E-Auction or by absentee bid, visit auctionnapavalley.org.
