'Super lot' helps Auction Napa Valley 2017 raise $15.7m

This year’s Auction Napa Valley event raised US$15.7m for local charities, with one ‘super lot’ from Colgin Cellars fetching $2.1m on its own.

The fundraising total from the annual auction, organised by Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) and chaired this year by the Coppola family of Inglenook winery, was well up on last year’s total of $14.3m, although slightly short of the $15.8m raised in 2015.

A series of events over the weekend was headlined by the Live Auction Celebration at Meadowood Napa Valley, but also included the Napa Valley Barrel Auction at Inglenook, winery dinners and parties, and a farewell brunch.

The top single lot of the live auction included a six-litre bottle of Dalla Valle Vineyards’ Maya red blend, plus a week-long excursion with Naoko Dalle Valle and the family to Naoko’s native Japan, raising $720,000.

But that figure was overshadowed by a super-lot donated by Colgin Cellars: the combination of a horizontal collection of large-format bottles from 2007 with trips to Napa Valley and Champagne fetched $2.1m.

Meanwhile, the Antica Napa Valley joint lot, from Antinori Family Wine Estate and Staglin Family Vineyard, included 10 large-format bottles and a trip to Tuscany, raising $1.5m.

‘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,’ said Roman Coppola, joint event chair with his parents Francis and Eleanor, sister Sofia and niece Gia.

‘The funds we raised this weekend will help strengthen families and make the seemingly impossible possible for tens of thousands of our neighbours.’

Now in its 37th year, Auction Napa Valley benefits community health and children’s education projects, with 27 projects and more than 100,000 people impacted last year.