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News
Napa e-auction lots go live
This year’s Napa Valley Auction has almost 200 e-auction lots posted online and the bidding has gone live.
Starting on 26 May at noon (Pacific Standard Time), people from all over the world began the serious pursuit of once-in-a-lifetime wine and winery experience packages which are not available to the general public.
A group of Napa Valley winemakers and other industry tasters took a look at the e-auction lot wines and packages in a walk-around tasting event at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and offer comments on their favourites:
Kuleto Estate
Tom Simoneau, who reports on wine at KSRO radio calls the Kuleto Estate’s lot of 8 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines a great way to taste Cabernet through the lens of different terroirs or vineyard sites. He especially appreciated the 2009 Kuleto Estate Villa Vista Mountain Vineyards Cabernet, finding the perfect balance of fruit, oak, and tannin.
Frog’s Leap 16-litre bottle
Frog’s Leap Winery is auctioning off one bottle of wine, albeit one very large, 16 litre bottle of 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon. Swanson Family winemaker, Chris Phelps, calls the wine reminiscent of the great 1976 right-bank Bordeaux vintage and says this 1997 has another 10 years to age.
Bill Hill Tetra Vertical
Eric Carpenter of Carpenter Wine Enterprises believes that the three vintages of Tetra wine (2008, 2009, 2010), tasted side by side, “really represent Napa”. Tetra means “having four parts” and these Cabernet-based blends of four Bordeaux varieties are made by viticulturalist, Bill Hill.
Instant Wine Cellar
ASH is the new acronym for the St Helena Appellation and a group of 15 producers, including Corison, Spottswoode, and Raymond, put together an appellation lot of 12 magnums and 3 double magnums. Winemaker Bill Dyer of Dyer Vineyards calls this a very compelling way to start or expand one’s wine cellar instantly. This is the package he would most want to own.
40 Years – 40 Bottles
Conn Creek Winery is celebrating its 40th anniversary with 40 bottles of wine in its auction lot. Danielle Botros of Darioush Winery tasted through the winery’s 2008 Cabernet Sauvignons from St Helena, Rutherford, Atlas Peak and Mt Veeder and called them a nice cross-section of appellations with well-balanced fruit and acidity.
Blackbird Vineyards
Shannon Kuleto of the Napa Valley Wine Trail tasted the Blackbird 2009 Illustration and was instantly sold on this package. In addition to the wine being one of Napa Valley’s current darlings (and the winner getting a three-litre bottle of the Illustration), the lot includes a two-night stay at Blackbird’s 100-year old farmhouse, a wine tasting and lunch for six people and wine club membership.
Mountain Wine and Getaway
Jeffrey Stambor, winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyards, appreciates Napa Valley’s sub-appellation Spring Mountain and named this package the one he would most like to own. Stefan Blicker of BP Wines agreed and described one of the lot wines, the 2009 Cemetary Cabernet, as the showiest and sexiest of the tasting with lush fruit and approachability. The auction package includes a two-night stay in the Behrens Family’s guesthouse on Spring Mountain, a dinner and private tasting for four people, and a collection of eight bottles of wine.
Ballentine Vineyards
Jim Sullivan of Castello di Amoroso admired the varietals in Ballentine’s lot: Petit Sirah and Zinfandel. This lot’s winner also receives a two-night stay at a Napa B&B, dinner for two, tour, tasting, and a gourmet lunch.
Mitch Consentino’s pureCru Napa Valley
Marcie and Tom Dinkel each chose this wine as their favourite of the tasting. Mitch Consentino made this lot’s 14 bottles of wine under the pureCru Napa Valley label using Secret Clone Cabernet Sauvignon. When wine from this clone was first revealed 11 years ago by Consentino at Auction Napa Valley, it drew some of the highest bids. Marcie Dinkel called one of the wines, the Meritage Red Mr. Coz 2009, big and fruit forward with well-balanced tannins and a hint of vanilla and tobacco.
Click here to see the action. All bids will close on Sunday, 2 June at 6:00pm. Full proceeds will go to health and youth development non-profit organisations in Napa County.