Napa Valley auction nets $18.7m

Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) famous auction, the 34th, netted US$18.7 million this year.

Held over last weekend Auction Napa Valley is the NVV's annual community fundraiser to raise funds to enhance the health and wellbeing of the Napa Valley community. To date, the NVV has invested more than $120 million from the auction proceeds in Napa County non profit organisations.

Co-chair Jeff Gargiulo of Gargiulo vineyards, said: “It wasn’t just us who did this. It was the more than 1,000 Napa Valley vintners, chef teams, donors and volunteers who contributed to Saturday’s Live Auction Celebration who made it happen. Because of their hard work and generosity, our sweet home Napa Valley became $18.7 million sweeter for thousands in the community who will benefit from Auction Napa Valley proceeds.”

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) is a non profit trade association, representing 500 members to produce consistent quality wines from Napa Valley and environmental leadership.

Saturday’s Live Auction, comprised 50 one-of-a-kind lots showcasing Napa Valley wines. An e-auction of more than 175 lots lasted a week, starting June 1.

At the end of the Live Auction Dr Kary Duncan, took the stage to make an appeal for Fund-A-Need, the lot that has no wine, no hospitality or trips associated with it. Dr. Duncan, who in addition to her medical practice is also the board chair of Clinic Ole Community Health Center, the only non profit community health centre in Napa County and the auction’s top funding recipient. “Clinic Ole is the primary source of medical services for one-in-six Napa County residents,” noted Dr. Duncan. “It impacts almost everyone in our community in one way or another and these services would not be as widely available without auction funding.”

The online version of Fund-A-Need allowed bidders from anywhere in the world to contribute, with donations starting at $30. In total, 100 bidders contributed to the in-person and online Fund-A-Need lots bringing $3.8 million to the fundraising total, which will support early intervention and prevention of the most pressing issues facing Napa County youth.

Here is who raised what:

Napa Valley Barrel Auction

The NVV is attributing some of the success of Friday’s Napa Valley Barrel Auction to a new mobile app that allowed bidders to stay in on the action while strolling around. Nearly 400 guests used the new technology to secure cases of Napa Valley wine, primarily from the much-heralded 2012 vintage. Top lots included:

• Brand Napa Valley $83,050

• Shafer Vineyards $55,200

• Continuum Estate $52,750

• Gargiulo Vineyards $51,400

• Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery $46,400

• TOR Kenward Family Wines $39,850

• Joseph Phelps Vineyards $34,300

• Cardinale $33,800

• Stone The Crows $31,650

• Kongsgaard $30,750

Live Auction Celebration

The centre piece of Auction Napa Valley.Top lots included:

• Raymond Vineyards $820,000

• Mayacamas Vineyards $660,000

• Promontory $600,000

• Napa Valley Vintners and Lexus $580,000

• Opus One $550,000

• Araujo Estate Wines $520,000

• Darioush and Robb Report Magazine $440,000

• Casa Piena $420,000

• Chappellet Vineyard $410,000

• Lokoya $400,000

• Gargiulo Vineyards, Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars $400,000

E-Auction Results

The 2014 online E-Auction also broke records, raising $490,900. Top lots included:

• Continuum Estate, Freemark Abbey, Mayacamas Vineyards & Staglin Family Vineyard $21,000

• Sherwin Family Vineyards $15,650

• Grgich Hills Estate $12,050

• Napa Valley Vintners $10,150

• Domaine Chandon $9,100

• Levy & McClellan $8,750

• Benessere $8,150

• Heitz Wine Cellars $8,050

• Larkmead Vineyards $7,850

• Pine Ridge Vineyards $7,200

• B Cellars $7,050