Auction Napa Valley Rakes in $15.8 Million

June 10, 2015 – Once again, wealthy wine lovers – very wealthy wine lovers – came through last weekend raising $15.8 million at the gala wine auction held every June since 1981. Amazing wines flowed accompanied by amazing food for 850 guests who were amazingly generous. It didn’t set a record, however, that being 2014’s $18.7 million.

Lest anyone get snarly about rich people having a party, let’s just remember that the funds are distributed to non-profits in the Napa Valley. Not everyone in this little piece of paradise is wealthy, or even well off. Health and educational needs are supported each year lifting children in the Napa Valley community out of poverty and helping them to lead healthy and successful lives. After the earthquake last year, the Napa Valley Vintners stepped in quickly with cash to help small businesses survive the damage and continue to serve their neighborhoods.

Many of the auction lots were creative including luxury trips abroad, private dinners with celebrities, jewelry, and cars. One that really caught our attention for being different was offered by Hill Family Estates that included a private jet to a “one-day immersion course at the Naval Special Warfare Center SEALS training ground in San Diego” with “expedited training in weapons handling and an introduction to Close Quarters Combat techniques”. The package included dugout tickets for four to a San Diego Padres game, passes to go on the field, dinner with two Hollywood actors, one of whom was a close friend of Chris Kyle (the subject of American Sniper) and another dinner at a famed restaurant in La Jolla, a round of golf for four at a private club in Rancho Santa Fe, overnight at a five-star resort plus, we nearly forgot to mention, 25 bottles of wine. The lot sold for $150,000.