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 Auction Napa Valley is not a charity for millions, which one sees occasionally in India. But it certainly collects and spends millions for charity. Started in 1981, it has collected a record $15.8 million at a charity auction held during 4 days of the first weekend in June in which the Europe-based Primum Familiae Vini PFV, the well-known family of 12, also took part for the first time. This prestigious organisation used to have Opus One as one of the members till Robert Mondavi sold his wineries to Constellation Brands.
Opus One has still not been substituted and PFV continues to have only 11 members- Chateau Mouton Rothschild (Bordeaux), Chateau Beaucastel, Pol Roger Champagne, Vega Sicilia, Joseph Drouhin (Burgundy), Marchesi Antinori, Torres (Spain), Egon Müller Scharzhof (Mosel), Famille Hugel (Alsace), Sassicaia (Bolgheri-Italy) and the Symington Family Estates (Portugal).
The auction was chaired by Opus One at this edition. In tribute to the Auction Napa Valley’s tremendous success over the years, Opus One offered The Chair’s Lot- an exceptional 35 year vertical collection of magnums stretching from 1979 to 2013. Three lots were auctioned for 800,000 each, making it a contribution of $2.4 million towards the total.
For the Honourary Chair’s Lot, Opus One had joined forces with the PFV, wherein the highest bidders were invited to an unparalleled two week journey to the esteemed winery estates of all 11 members. At a time of their convenience, they will be brought to Paris by First Class flights, from where they will be taken to the estates by private jet planes. They will be taken personally for private tours, tastings and elegant lunches and dinners surrounded by many of the finest vineyards in the world. They will stay in exceptional Relais & Chateaux accommodations including the exquisite Abadia Retuerta in Spain, Le Prieuré in Avignon, and Les Crayères in Reims. Finally, they will be flown to San Francisco for a two day experience at Opus One including a private dinner. Tasting through library vintages and the tour with winemaker Michael Silacci, they will explore the current vintage in the cellar.
 Interestingly, there was to be one lot from the Honorary Chair, as indicated by Christophe Brunet, Wine Ambassador for PFV. He tells delWine, ‘it has been a great deal of enthusiasm around the PFV partnership. They went into this year anticipating that this lot would do well, but had no idea the interest level would be so high. The last three bidders were bidding at 780, 790 and 800. Those at 780 and 790 thought it was heading to $1 million and backed down. But when the close came at $800,000 each of the two previous bidders requested us to offer it to them as well, for an additional $800,000. Given the opportunity to raise $2.4 million on the lot on the spot, the organisers agreed hoping that the PFV would see this as an incredible triumph for the organization and worth the extra visits.’
The 4-day auction is organised annually in early June by the Napa Valley Vintners’ (NVV). The fundraiser is a part of several activities to collect funds for the enrichment of the lives of more than 90,000 people in the area of community health and children’s education. Since its inception in 1981, the NVV has given more than $145 million in Auction Napa Valley proceeds to Napa County nonprofit organisations. In the past year alone, the NVV spent $23 million in the Napa Valley community services. |