The 13th edition of WineaPAWlooza, a Napa Valley charity wine auction that supports animal welfare nonprofit Jameson Humane, drew its largest crowd ever and racked up nearly $1.93 million at its June event. The donated lots were largely sourced from the Napa winemaking community and included both wine itself and wine-related experiences. A 6-liter of 1994 Screaming Eagle, donated by the winery’s founder, Jean Phillips, brought in the highest bid of the event at $290,000.
There were roughly 20 lots in total at the gala at Castellucci Estate in Oakville, with several allowing for multiple winners. The second highest-grossing lot was lunch with Napa Valley legend Andy Beckstoffer and several prominent winemakers at Beckstoffer To Kalon vineyard, which raised $150,000 in less than two minutes as 30 bidders snagged the tickets at $5,000 apiece.
Other notable packages included a golf and dinner experience at Mayacama Golf Club in Sonoma with vintners Tor Kenward and Alex MacDonald (which garnered $80,000 from three couples collectively) and a Napa-Bordeaux comparative tasting at Ovid with wines from Dominus, Heitz, Eisele, Château Latour, Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Pontet-Canet and others (which raised $45,000 from three couples collectively). One charitable bidder broke the six-figure mark alone, buying a 10-case allotment of custom-made Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Russell Bevan for $100,000. This wine will be a unique blend that does not exist anywhere else on the market.
The two-day event goes beyond just selling wine. Night one began with a tasting of To Kalon wines accompanied by a discussion with master of wine Vanessa Conlin, several Napa winemakers and Matt Stamp of Compline Restaurant. Night two featured a tasting of dozens of Napa Valley wines paired with a vegan dinner from French Laundry alumni Daniel Gomez Sanchez and Elliot Bell. (Bell is currently the owner and chef of Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence-winner Charlie’s, in St. Helena). There was also a performance from the Napa band Wristrocket, of which the late co-founder of the event David Stevens was a member…