Napa Valley’s 2015 Wine Auction Raises Big Bucks for Charity

A whopping $15.8 million for nonprofit organizations throughout Napa County was raised at the 2015 annual wine charity event. Four beautiful days spent with food, friends and wine reaped a bountiful basket for charity with generous bidders and hosts. Close to setting another all- time high, but fell a little short of the $18.7 million raised in 2014. This event, hosted by the best winemakers in Napa Valley, kicked off at Hall Wines in St.Helena, where 2,000 guests previewed mostly 2013 vintage wines in barrel. Lots from from Atelier Melka and Realm garnered the most buzz (and dollars), each earning nearly $200,000. The barrel auction accounted for $1.9 million of the event total.

Warm hospitality & live music launched Saturday’s live auction at Meadowood Napa Valley, for about 850 guests, to include, baseball great, Barry Bonds.

The Chair’s Lot from honorary auction chair Opus One became the auction’s highest grossing of all time when it was tripled and sold to three bidders, bringing in a total of $2.4 million. Each winner will enjoy a 35-year vertical wine collection of Opus One magnums, plus a two-week tour and visits to some of the most esteemed winery estates in Europe, such as Pol Roger and Vega Sicilia.

But the granddaddy of surprises was a live performance by singer-songwriter John Legend, who performed his hit, “All of Me.” He also helped rangle in $850,000 by auctioning off a 30-person dinner and private performance, in conjunction with Raymond Vineyards.

The excitement continued for several other lots, including $500,000 for a Balthazar of 2012 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon; $320,000 for four bottles of Colgin Cellars paired with a trip to Italy; $200,000 for five cases of Robert Mondavi Winery To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon combined with a 2016 Mini Cooper convertible, an updated version of the same car Margrit Mondavi drives and $250,000 for the Schramsberg Vineyards 50th Anniversary Lot, which included a 50-year vertical of its wines.