Napa, CA, July 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wine auctions, WineaPAWlooza, the yearly fundraiser for Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch (JARR) has announced twenty-five exclusive auction lots from some of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wineries and vintners.
Held at Gamble Family Vineyards on Saturday, July 28th, WineaPAWlooza brings together Napa Valley glitterati, top vintners, and chefs to raise funds to support the work of JARR. This year the focus of the paddle raise Fund A Need auction lot will be disaster relief and preparedness for animals. Headquartered in Napa, JARR responded within minutes of the first calls to come in during the Napa and Sonoma firestorms of 2017 and continued to be a leader in the community for animal rescue and care through the entire disaster.
The unforgettable evening for a cause kicks off with a two- hour grand tasting where guests can sample the most celebrated wines from 50 of the top Napa Valley vintners followed by an entertaining pet parade emceed this year by NBA Scout and Basketball Wives star Bonnie-Jill Laflin. The high energy live auction is led by world-famous wine auctioneer Fritz Hatton and features exclusive lots from some of the most unique and renowned wineries.
Celebrity Chef Casey Thompson (who was star of Bravo’s reality show Top Chef for two years) is preparing plant-based bites to complement the evening’s grand tasting.
The prestigious WineaPAWlooza auction lots include:
If you love harvest-time in Napa Valley but are tired of getting your Manolos so muddy, this is your chance to get out of town and go full-Gotham!
You and a friend will attend the 2018 Badgley Mischka runway show, smack-dab in the middle of New York Fashion Week (Sept. 6-14, 2018). You will choose two gowns of your choice (one per person) from the Badgley Mischka Collection range, attend the 30th-anniversary celebration during the runway show, and meet Mark Badgley and James Mischka backstage.
But where’s the wine, you ask? You will also dine at Michelin two-star restaurant Marea on Columbus Circle in Manhattan, and keep Napa Valley on your mind with wine pairings.
Sorry, but you can’t just fly off to Burgundy and expect to experience the region as an insider. It just doesn’t happen like that. Not unless you spend a ton of time there, or have established a vast network of connections over years and years. We don’t really know what else to tell you.
Oh – never mind. Turns out you can do exactly that if you go along with wine ambassador Greg Gregory. Four people will jet to France, business class, and spend four days in a historic house in Puligny-Montrachet that once belonged to the mayor of the village. The residence has been impeccably renovated by noted Burgundy collector Wilf Jaeger and sits just steps from Michelin-recommended restaurant Le Montrachet.
Greg will set up as many winery visits as you like: Think Leflaive, Dujac, Roumier, Bonneau du Martray, Roulot, Lafon, Lafarge, de Vogüé – or perhaps even pay homage to the world’s winemaking apex at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. One night, Greg will host you at the 1243 Bourgogne Society, which was founded by Burgundy vintners Bernard Hervet and Olivier Halley. This former convent is headquarters for many collectors, who use it for events and parties. You will enjoy a dinner prepared by a Michelin-starred chef, and Greg will pull and pour some of his wines from the club’s centuries-old cellar. Don’t be shocked if a few proprietors show up, having B.T.O.B.: Brought Their Old Burgundies.
Let Greg know how deep you want to go. He is happy to arrange visits, make lunch and dinner reservations, and accompany you as much or as little as you wish. Someday, with enough time in Burgundy under your belt, you might not need to have someone like Greg around. Until then, you’ll be very glad that you do.
How is a 3-liter bottle different than four 750s? Let us count the ways: They can age longer. There are fewer of them. Many wineries don’t bother to make them at all. They turn heads in restaurants, and they’re tougher for teens to pilfer from the cellar.
Most importantly, they always get opened under special circumstances, because simply opening one makes the circumstances special. You don’t reach for a 3-liter when you’re alone and lonely – if you do, please seek help. These bomb-shaped beauties are parties in themselves. Call your friends, tell them which one you’re thinking of cracking, and trust us – they’ll show up.
To that end, we simply and humbly offer you the chance to add these ten 3-liter bottles, produced by our Legendary Luminaries, to your cellar: Andy & Betty Beckstoffer, Bart & Daphne Araujo/Accendo Cellars, Bret Lopez & Mimi DeBlasio/Scarecrow, Beth Novak Milliken/Spottswoode, Don Weaver/Harlan Estate, Robin Lail/Lail Vineyards, Tom Gamble/Gamble Family Vineyards, Dick & Ann Grace/Grace Family Vineyards, Tim Mondavi/CONTINUUM, and Naoko Dalla Valle, Dalla Valle Vineyards.
The Old Carter Whiskey Experience
It is made to be drunk, but it is much more than “a drink.” It is where beverage meets art, and when it is done well, it is transcendent. Those who make it obsess over the minutiae, from the provenance of every last ingredient to the buildings where the libation rests in carefully-selected oak. In some parts of the country, it doesn’t just rule – it is religion.
We are talking about bourbon, of course, and for the spirit-lover, this will be an unparalleled experience. Three couples will spend two whiskey-soaked nights at the Carter Clubhouse in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Mark and Sherri Carter of Old Carter Bourbon (and 100-point Carter Cellars in Napa Valley) will host you for a private sit-down tasting of their whiskeys: ryes, bourbons, barrel samples, and even a dram or two of Kentucky Owl, the brand they brought back to life in 2007. This will take place at the Old Carter Showroom, where you will get the chance to carouse with the aficionados known as the Bourbon Mafia.
This Bluegrass State sojourn will also include a tour of the Castle & Key distillery in Woodford County, as well as dinner at two restaurants of your choice in Lexington. Most importantly, you will diversify your cellar with a half-barrel of Old Carter’s six-year-old barrel-proof bourbon – roughly four cases of personalized bottles – which should be more than enough to ensure that a sip of this unforgettable trip will never be far away.
Berkshire Hathaway private jet company, NetJets Inc, is one of the premier sponsors of the event this year.
About Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch
Founded in June 2014 by David and Monica Stevens (proprietors of 750 Wines), Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch (JARR) is a no-kill rescue and sanctuary in the Napa Valley for companion and farmed animals in need. The nonprofit provides transitional and permanent shelter, adoption and rescue services, humane education, animal advocacy, and is committed to ending animal hunger, cruelty, and overpopulation. JARR also collaborates with and acts as a liaison for various animal rescue groups locally and statewide. JARR’s vision includes building a state-of-the-art, cage-free animal rescue and sanctuary uniquely serving the physical and emotional needs of all of its companion and farmed animal residents. Renowned architect Howard Backen of Backen, Gillam & Kroeger Architects and Tim McDonald of Centric Construction are generously leading the building and design team for the Ranch. Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit organization. To learn more about the Ranch and how you can help, please visit http://www.jamesonanimalrescueranch.org.