Record-breaking Auction Napa Valley raises US$18.7m
Date£º
2014-06-10 10:09 Source£º
decanter Author:
Georgina Hindle Translator:
Auction Napa Valley, the annual charity auction, has raised US$18.7m, exceeding the record previously set last year of US$16.9m.
The centrepiece of the weekend¡¯s annual Live Auction Celebration at the Meadowood Hotel in St Helena raised an unprecedented US$12.65m, combined with yesterday¡¯s Napa Valley Barrel Auction ($1.7m) and the online auction ($490,900) bought the total generated to US$18.7m.
The 34th edition of the event, which offers exclusive experiences, once-in-a-lifetime lots of wine, plus travel and dining-orientated activities drove sales to their highest levels yet.
The top lots from the Napa Valley Barrel Auction, which is comprised of cases primarily from the much-heralded 2012 vintage, included BRAND Napa Valley at $83,050, Shafer Vineyards at $55,200 and Continuum Estate at $52,750.
From the Live Auction, the highest earning lots came from Raymond Vineyards at $820,000, Mayacamas Vineyards at $660,000 and Promontory at $600,000. There were a total of 50 lots in the live auction.
Top lots from the online auction included Continuum Estate, Freemark Abbey, Mayacamas Vineyards & Staglin Family Vineyard at $21,000, Sherwin Family Vineyards at $15,650 and Grgich Hills Estate at $12,050.
Money was also raised for child healthcare projects in the community via the Fund-A-Need appeal. More than 100 bidders contributed in-person, in increments from $1,000 to $1million and online, starting at $30, for lots which have no wine, hospitality or trips associated with it, raising a total of $3.8m.
Speaking of the results, Linda Reiff, president and CEO of the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) said: ¡®We are amazed and humbled by the beyond-our-dreams results of this year¡¯s Auction Napa Valley, and we are deeply grateful for the abundance we have been entrusted with.¡¯
Russ Weis, the 2014 chairman of the NVV Board of Directors and general manager of Silverado Vineyards said: ¡®Auction Napa Valley allows us to turn three days of the best of Napa Valley into 365 days of wellbeing for our community.¡¯
Auction Napa Valley, which is organised and run by trade association Napa Valley Vintners, has donated more than US$120m to health, youth and affordable housing non-profit programs. Founded in 1981, the event takes place over four days in June.