Napa’s Big Event: Auction Napa Valley
We’re coming up on the first weekend in June, and that means one thing in Napa Valley — Auction Napa Valley is about to get underway! This is one of the biggest wine events in the country (maybe the world?) and one of my favorite events in Napa Valley each year. Auction Napa Valley is the annual charitable fundraiser for the Napa Valley Vintners. Last year alone, Auction Napa Valley raised over $8 million for charitable causes.
Here’s what it’s all about:
“Napa Valley Vintners’ mission for its annual community fundraiser, Auction Napa Valley, is to utilize the worldwide reputation of the Napa Valley wines to enhance the well-being of Napa County community. Since 1981 NVV has granted nearly $110 million to local non-profit organizations in the areas of healthcare, youth development and affordable housing.
With the proceeds of Auction Napa Valley 2012, NVV refined its giving model to focus on two long-term strategic priority areas: Community Health and Children’s Education. The goal is to invest deeply, rather than broadly to affect the greatest impact on our community. Our nonprofit partners serve residents in Napa County from American Canyon to Calistoga with programs as varied as Adult Day Services for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, to programs using the latest technology to prepare English Language Learners for Kindergarten.”
Not only does this event make a big difference for people in the valley, it’s also a great deal of fun for wine lovers. The package that we opted for includes the barrel tasting on Friday and dinner at a winery Friday night. In addition, there are other ways to be involved electronically. There are E-auction lots available to participate in and bid on. Those auction lots include wine collections, wine weekends, and other enticing events. With my blog at the end of the week, I will share about the barrel tasting and the great wine dinner that we’ll attend.
This Friday, the barrel tasting begins at Raymond Cellars. There are 100 barrels to taste from and bid on. The fun is in trying to secure a case of wine from one of your favorite barrels by being one of the top 10 bidders. It is challenging as to how much to bid and the timing of your bid – so you end up “on the board” at the end of the day. How do you make it through tasting that many wines while keeping your head clear and your palate discerning? Clearly, you need to not be drinking, which means you need to practice the fine art of spitting! When you taste from a barrel, you’re tasting “futures,” and you’ll have to wait sometimes a couple of years to get the case of wine – yet the journey is worth the wait.
After a few years of attending the auction, I have refined my approach. I do my pre-work, identify barrels I definitely want to taste, and make a list of those that I definitely want to bid on. I will update you later on the results.
It’s all for the benefit of charity; and, as you can see, it’s a great deal of fun!
More to come!
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