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18 WINE SPECTATOR • SEPT. 30, 2019JA
SON^ TINACCIseafood paella or pizza, as well as salmon caja China with romesco
sauce. Crowds flocked to the whole lamb and pig stations, where both
were cooked upright over an open flame, or what Chiarello called “on
a crucifix.” The real showstoppers were seemingly humble potatoes,
which were smoked with bay leaf and coated in corn starch before be-
ing deep-fried and, finally, sprinkled with salt. The result was an ir-
resistible side dish.
Attendees lingered long after the stars came out to enjoy the live
music, cigars and assorted desserts—as well as a few extra memorable
drops of what remained of the wine.
—Aaron Romano, with reporting by Augustus WeedBig Bottles Don’t Go Out of Style
M
agnums are the perfect size for a
party—especially when that party has
600-plus guests. This truism was no-
where more in evidence than at Wine
Spectator’s annual Bring Your Own Magnum
Party, hosted every year since 1988 as an un-
official kickoff to Auction Napa Valley. The
event offers winemakers and industry members
a chance to relax and rub shoulders during an
evening of food and wine.
This year’s gala was held at the Pavilion at
the Estate in Yountville, adjacent to Bottega
Ristorante. The evening welcomed wine-coun-
try vintners such as Joel Peterson of Once &
Future and Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock,
the father-son team featured on the cover of
Wine Spectator’s June 30 issue. Also in the crowd
were David Duncan of Silver Oak, Jean-Charles
Boisset, Joe Wagner of Copper Cane, Bill Har-
lan and Tom Klein of Rodney Strong.
Guests were eager to get their glasses filled
with some of the best wines from Napa, Sonoma
and beyond. Wine stations were overflowing
with magnums of classic Napa Cabs like Stag’s
Leap Wine Cellars Fay and Cask 23 2005,
Beringer Private Reserve 2007, Heitz Trailside
Vineyard 2007 and Schrader Beckstoffer To
Kalon MMX 2010.
Sonoma was well-represented too, with stal-
warts like Williams Selyem Russian River Valley
Pinot Noir—both Rochioli Riverblock Vine-
yard 2014 and Allen Vineyard 2014—and Bedrock’s The Bedrock
Heritage Sonoma Valley 2017 in attendance. There were also some
notable rarities, such as a Staglin Sangiovese, a Shafer Merlot and
even a grand cru Chablis: Domaine Laroche Les Blanchots 2007.
Marimar Torres took time the morning of the event to taste through
several library wines from her namesake label to choose the perfect
magnum to share. “It was a fantastic tasting to find out what was tast-
ing good and what I can use for cooking wine,” she jested. She ended
up bringing a striking 1996 Don Miguel Vineyard Chardonnay.
Chef Michael Chiarello’s culinary team put out a Mediterranean
cuisine–inspired spread, including stations serving choices such asWine Spectator’s Bring Your Own Magnum PartyMarvin R. Shanken, Bill Terlato,
and Hazel ShankenAriel and Christopher Jackson
of Jackson Family WinesMichael Rowan, Andy Beckstoffer and Sarah and
Michael BrowneAuction Napa Valley Raises Nearly $12 Million for Charity
T
he auction tent was full at the Meadowood resort in Napa Valley on June
1 as the crowd anticipated the arrival of pop star Katy Perry, the opening
act for the 39th Auction Napa Valley. Perry didn’t disappoint as she revved
up the 900 audience members for the bidding to come. “I’m going to play
a couple of songs and then start drinking with you. Save me a glass,” Perry
said. “I say, let’s be kind and drink wine.” Perry performed five songs on the
auction stage, including hits such as “Roar” and “Firework,” and urged the
audience to bid high to help support the charities the auction benefits, which
focus on community health and children’s educational support programs.
When all the winning bids for the live, silent and barrel auctions were
added up, the event raised almost $12 million for the Napa community,down from last year’s $13.6 million total and 2017’s $15.7 million. Not count-
ing a Fund-a-Need lot, the live auction brought in more than $8 million.
(Napa Valley Vintners did not provide detailed results for the live auction.)
Among the top live-auction lots was a travel package consigned by Tim
Mondavi’s Continuum estate that featured tours of Rome, Tuscany and Flor-
ence, as well as magnums of Continuum’s red blend in custom-designed bot-
tles; it sold for $530,000. A lot which included excursions by private jet to a
duck-hunting lodge in Canada and a Hawaiian resort, as well as wine and a
dinner at Napa’s Staglin Family, went for $480,000. A portion of the lot was
later broken off and sold separately for a combined total of $620,000.
—Kim Marcus