5/7/2010 - St Helena, CA--It's time to get the parties started in Napa Valley as the Napa Valley Vintners celebrates its 30th anniversary Auction Napa Valley. While it is always the consummate wine and food lovers' event of the year, for this milestone the vintners have pulled out all the stops, from start to finish, to create a magical, high-energy fete.
The centerpiece of the fundraising charity weekend is the Live Auction being held on Saturday, June 5, at Meadowood Napa Valley. "This truly will be the must-attend event of the year in Napa Valley," said event Honorary Chair Beth Novak Milliken of Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery. "We have assembled an incredible crew of culinary stars--17 of them in all--11 men and 6 women from top restaurants around the country. I know I'm looking forward to the Auction!"
With the playful theme of "The Boys are Back in Town" and that tune humming in one's ear, four-day package holders will stroll onto the forest-surrounded greens at Meadowood to find 11 of the country's top gentlemen chefs who will start the day presenting a walk-around al fresco lunch. The men's team hails from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Birmingham and Napa Valley:
• Octavio Becerra, Palate, Los Angeles
• Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago
• Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Napa Valley
• Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa Valley
• Lars Kronmark CIA Greystone, Napa Valley
• Paul LeMieux Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley
• Walter Manzke, formerly of Church and State, Los Angeles
• Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco
• Richard Reddington, Redd, Napa Valley
• Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL
• Michael Tusk, Quince, San Francisco
Then, the auction begins and the action gets lively as bidders vie for 41 incredible lots of rare wine, wine collections, travel and vintner-hosted excursions, the proceeds of which will raise funds for healthcare, youth services and affordable housing non-profit programs.
And then it's Ladies' Night! "We have put together an amazing evening, where six exceptional female chefs will come out to keep the party going as this all-star culinary team creates supper on the lawn. This will be a dinner and an evening to remember," said Novak Milliken. The lineup for this meal under the stars includes:
• Gina DePalma of Babbo, New York City
• Suzanne Goin of Lucques, Los Angeles
• Carrie Nahabedian of Naha, Chicago
• Melissa Perello of Frances, San Francisco
• Elizabeth Prueitt of Tartine, San Francisco
• Suzanne Tracht of Jar, Los Angeles
"It is truly incredible that these 17 culinary super-stars have partnered with us to make this 30-year celebration so spectacular," said Saturday's Culinary Chair Sue Cross of Cross Cellars. "We are thrilled to have these chefs provide their time and their talent to be part of the fundraising--this is the spirit that makes this auction such a great event."
Ladies' Night will pump it up one more time with a performance by the renowned all-girl-band The Bangles. "Who doesn't get excited with songs like 'Walk Like an Egyptian,' or 'Manic Monday' and what better way to cap the celebration of the 30th Auction Napa Valley--this is going to be a great party, and it's for great charities that really rely on this fundraiser," said Entertainment Chair Jeff Smith of Hourglass Winery.
The Auction's culinary savvy is also shown at the Taste Napa Valley Friday Festival being held this year at Rubicon Estate. Here, 60 local restaurateurs and artisanal food purveyors will partner with nearly 100 wineries at the al fresco Marketplace. Inside the caves, another 100 wineries will offer barrel samples pulled right from the wooden barrel in the always-rousing barrel tasting and auction. Together with private dinner parties at winery owners' homes on Thursday and Friday evenings, the four-day package attendees will enjoy the quintessential wine and culinary experience of the year--all while raising funds for charity.
About Auction Napa Valley
Auction Napa Valley is the most successful charity wine auction in the world and to date has given $90 million to scores of non-profit programs. The annual fundraiser is hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners, the non-profit trade association representing nearly 400 wineries in the renowned Napa Valley. The auction was founded in 1981 under the vision of Robert and Margrit Mondavi and has grown to be a four-day celebration of wine, food and fundraising held the first weekend in June.
About Napa Valley Vintners
The Napa Valley Vintners is the non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as the premier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944, today the association represents nearly 400 Napa Valley wineries and collectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn more about our region and its legendary American wines, visit www.napavintners.com.
Click to View the Ladies Team's Menu and Recipes
Click to View the Bios of the Men's Culinary Team
Contact: Terry Hall, Communications Director 707-968-4217 thall@napavintners.com
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