Napa Valley Vintners’ auction raises over £10 million

The annual wine auction run by Napa Valley Vintners attended by sporting stars and US wine royalty alike has raised more than $13 million (£10 million) for charity.

Wine collectors spent $13.6 million (£10.15 million) across three days of barrel and bottle auctions at the 2018 Auction Napa Valley.

The money raised will go towards community health and children’s education charities in Napa County, California, serving more than 100,000 people in the area.

NVV confirmed the event’s final results today, after the online E-Auction closed at noon on Sunday.

The e-auctioning option gave collectors around the world a chance to bid against attendees.

The Barrel Auction component of E-bidding provided bidders with the opportunity to acquire a 12-bottle case of wine from Napa Valley’s more prestigious wines.

Upon release, the wines will be sent directly to the winning bidders from the cellar door.

The top earner of the weekend however, was the live auction for Napa Valley Vintners’ Fund-the-Future. Bidders were invited to donate money towards the Fund-the-Future initiative, which provides for the health and wellbeing of children in local schools.

Wine industry leaders donated a total of $2,346,000 to the cause.

Notable attendees included retired racecar driver turned vintner Danica Patrick, professional golfer Natalie Gulbis and the mother and sister of Golden State basketball player Steph Curry, all of whom had an interest in one of the 32 Live Auction lots sold yesterday.

This year’s honorary chairs were the fourth-generation Mondavi sisters of US winemaker Peter Mondavi Sr’s family, the auction’s youngest leaders since its inception in 1981.

Angelina Mondavi said: “My sisters and I are so grateful for the generosity of our vintners, bidders and community. Their contributions will help children and families in Napa County, from American Canyon to Calistoga. And the icing on the cake was that, along with our guests, we had the time of our lives at this year’s Auction Napa Valley!”

The Napa Valley Barrel Auction was held at the Mondavi family’s Charles Krug estate on Friday, featuring an outdoor marketplace that replicated the villages and towns of Napa Valley and its better-known restaurants and wineries.