THE 2017 EDITION OF THE NAPA VALLEY CHARITY AUCTION RAISED 15.7 MILLION US DOLLARS, OSCAR WINNER AND WINE MAKER FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA WAS HONORARY CHAIRMAN. TUSCAN WINE WAS THE SECOND TOP LOT (1.5 MILLION)

Glamour, star system, wine stars (Californian and not) and a rapid succession of incredible lots were all part of the 37th edition of Auction Napa Valley, the charity auction created in 1981 by the producers' association of the famous and celebrated terroir, symbol of the American wine world, raised a total of 15.7 million US dollars, which, per tradition, will be given to more than 25 local Ong and Onlus active in integration, health prevention and the fight against degenerative diseases (www.auctionnapavalley.org). And, Italian wine, magnificently represented by Tuscany and Marchesi Antinori with the second top lot of the whole event, will guarantee the four lucky winners a tour of the most prestigious wine territories and companies in Tuscany.
This year the auction had a truly unique honorary chairman, Francis Ford Coppola and his family. The director of masterpieces such as the "The Godfather" trilogy and "Apocalypse Now" (as well as vigneron at his Inglewood Winery) gave a unique touch to the four days of events and auctions, personally preparing dinner for the main event and motivating the participants with the singular image of the Oscar-winning director in shirt sleeves preparing a tomato sauce with basil. The 2017 edition of the United States’ most famous charity event, together with the Naples Winter Wine Festival, raised 1.4 million US dollars more than last year's total, although the record for 2014 remains unbeaten, when it raised more than 18.7 million US dollar and 11.6 million dollars were placed on the table at Meadowood Resort in Saint Helena, accomplices a series of truly once-in-a-lifetime lots.
The two top lots were the center of a true battle of higher and higher bids, which were first doubled then tripled. The first lot, offered by Colgin Cellars, and sold for a total of 2.1 million US dollars, was composed of a collector bottles, a visit to and an overnight stay at the California winery, as well as a tour in France beginning with dinner at the temple of French cuisine, the restaurant, "L'Arpege" by Alain Passard, and ending in Reims, with a visit to the Krug maison and dinner at another three starred restaurant, "L'Assiette Champenoise".
The second lot, called "Magnifica Italia", is a hymn to the wine, food, art and history of the region, which more than any other represents Italy to American eyes: Tuscany.
The lot was offered by Antica Napa Valley, the California Winery of Marchesi Antinori and the Staglin Family Vineyard, which together provided the ten large bottles of the lot, the tour that starts in Florence, where dinner at Antinori Cantinetta will be followed by a private visit to the art and cultural treasures of the city.
The second stop will be the Antinori Fonte De’ Medici resort, in the heart of Chianti Classico, then a visit to the Antinori winery-museum and enjoying a private lunch with Jacopo and Tancredi Biondi Santi, the two family members of the Tenuto Greppo Estate where Brunello di Montalcino was created at the end of the 1800s. The lucky winners of the lot will visit the Estate and continue the grand wine tour to Tenuta Tignanello and Guado al Tasso where a private lunch is planned with one of the members of the Antinori family. There will, of course, be a wine tour to the Tuscan coast to Lodovico Antinori’s Tenuta di Biserno and, finally, to Tenuta San Guido, where one of the most iconic labels of all Italian wines was born: Sassicaia.
The third top lot, offered by Della Valle Vineyards, which raised less than half the sum of "Magnifica Italia”, is composed of a one-week trip to Japan (720.000 US dollars), while Screaming Eagle's Balthazar, produced by the winery each year, alone raised 440.000 US dollars, winning sixth top lot of the event.