On Friday, June 2, 2,000 guests gathered at the Coppola family’s historic Inglenook estate in the heart of the scenic wine region for the Napa Valley Barrel Auction. Inside the winery’s caves, bidders tasted with winemakers and vied for the 108 lots, each selling as 10 single cases of current release Napa Valley wines.

Outside, surrounding the iconic Inglenook fountain, the Auction’s new Wine & Food Pavilions debuted featuring Napa Valley’s most popular wine varieties paired with food prepared by six of the Coppola family’s favorite Napa Valley restaurants and chefs:

  • Chef Roberto Bonefont Jr. of Angèle
  • Chef David Nuno of Brasswood Bar + Kitchen
  • Chef Polly Lappetito of Ciccio
  • The Culinary Team of Galpão Gaucho
  • Chef Masaharu Morimoto of Morimoto
  • Chef Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards

Other events taking place over the weekend included vintner-hosted dinners and parties on Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday morning and a farewell brunch for the weekend’s top bidders on Sunday morning.

 

Top-Selling Barrel Auction Lots

  • The Mascot $73,550
  • Cardinale $65,050
  • Melka Wines $62,600
  • Shafer Vineyards $52,600
  • Chappellet Vineyard $41,750
  • Joseph Phelps Vineyards $38,700
  • Continuum Estate $36,700
  • Alpha Omega $35,050
  • Paul Hobbs $33,750
  • Covert Estate $32,900

 

Live Auction Saturday

Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) has revised the fundraising total for this year’s Auction Napa Valley to $15.7 million. Proceeds from the 37th annual celebration benefit community health and children’s education. Last year alone, the lives of more than 100,000 clients of 27 different Napa County nonprofits were touched by Auction proceeds.

“It was an honor for our family to chair this year’s Auction Napa Valley,” said Roman Coppola of Inglenook who, along with his parents Eleanor and Francis, sister Sofia and niece Gia, served as the honorary chairs of the four-day fete. “Napa Valley is our family’s home and we’re grateful for the generosity of our bidders, fellow vintners, partners and donors, local chefs, volunteers and every member of the community that comes together to make Auction Napa Valley a success year after year. The funds we raised this weekend will help strengthen families and make the seemingly impossible possible for tens of thousands of our neighbors.”

The crescendo of the weekend took place during the Live Auction Celebration Saturday at Meadowood Napa Valley, which has been the host venue every year since 1981. The bidding was vigorous inside the big white tent designed to feel like a 1930s nightclub, complete with a live jazz band and a nostalgic dance troupe.

The top single lot of the day was donated by Dalla Valle Vineyards and includes a 6-liter bottle of the winery’s red wine blend ‘Maya,’ named for proprietor Naoko Dalla Valle’s daughter, and a week-long excursion with the Dalla Valles to some of their favorite spots in Naoko’s native Japan. “Auction Napa Valley brings Napa Valley’s vintners together to raise funds for worthy causes,” said Naoko Dalla Valle. “Our winery has been a supporter for close to 30 years and I am proud that my daughter Maya has joined me in carrying on this tradition that is so meaningful to our community. Giving back is very important and close to our hearts.”

The day’s top fundraising lot from Colgin Cellars, including a horizontal collection of large format bottles of their 2007 wines combined with trips to Napa Valley and Champagne was tripled, raising a total of $2.1 million. The Antica Napa Valley – Antinori Family Wine Estate/Staglin Family Vineyard joint lot, featuring 10 large-format bottles of wine from the two vintners along with a luxurious, guided trip to Tuscany, was also tripled, bringing in $1.5 million.

Following the Live Auction, the more than 900 guests moved to the fairway for an al-fresco dinner of Italian family favorites prepared by Francis Coppola himself, with support from local chefs John Sorensen along with Alejandro Ayala and the Meadowood events culinary team. After that, it was back to the big tent for dancing to a private performance by soul singer-songwriter Leon Bridges of Fort Worth, Texas.

Top-Selling Live Auction Lots

  • Colgin Cellars – $2,100,000*
  • Collaborative Vintner Lot: Antica Napa Valley – Antinori Family Wine Estate and Staglin Family Vineyard – $1,500,000*
  • Dalla Valle Vineyards – $720,000
  • Viader Vineyards & Winery – $520,000*
  • Chairs’ Lot (Inglenook) – $460,000
  • Screaming Eagle – $440,000
  • Raymond Vineyards – $400,000
  • Chappellet Vineyard – $340,000
  • Collaborative Vintner Lot: Far Niente, Dolce, Nickel & Nickel, Bella Union – $320,000
  • Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery – $310,000
  • Collaborative Vintner Lot: Accendo Cellars, Cardinale, Chappellet Vineyard, Dalle Valle Vineyards, Diamond Creek Vineyards, Far Niente, Lail Vineyards, Lokoya, Nickel & Nickel, Trefethen Family Vineyards – $300,000
  • Collaborative Vintner Lot: Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Jones Family Vineyards, Melka Wines, Quintessa, Yao Family Wines – $300,000
  • Vineyard 7&8 – $300,000
  • Blackbird Vineyards – $300,000
  • Grgich Hills Estate – $300,000*
  • PROMONTORY – $300,000

Top-Selling E-Auction Lots

  • TOR Wines – $20,000
  • Collaborative Vintner Lot: Gamble Family Vineyards, Amuse Bouche, Vineyard 7&8, Gemstone – $16,150
  • QTR – $14,050
  • Collaborative Vintner Lot: Howell Mountain Vintners & Growers Association – $13,050
  • Sherwin Family Vineyards – $12,050
  • St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery – $11,550*
  • HALL – $10,850
  • Shafer Vineyards – $10,050
  • Amizetta Vineyard and Winery – $9,300
  • ZIATA – $9,050

*Fundraising total reflects lot being replicated for multiple bidders.