After last year’s successful Italianate focus on the wines of Gaja, the Nashville Wine Auction has decided to feature some of the best wines of the left coast, with this year’s “California Collectibles” edition of l’Eté du Vin. As part of their fundraising efforts to contribute to causes that seek to wipe out cancer and offer treatment and support to current cancer patients, the organization has planned another weekend of wine-related activities for the 38th year.
The Vintners Tasting will take place on Thursday, July 20, at Richland Country Club. featuring the wines of the guest vintners from California. The tasting runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and will include these vintners and their wines:
Monique and Hugh Davies, owners of Schramsberg Vineyards
Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc 2014
Schram Brut 2008
Jasmine Hirsch, general manager of Hirsch Vineyards
Hirsch Vineyards Reserve Estate Pinot Noir 2014
Hirsch Vineyards Block 8 Estate Pinot Noir 2014
John Conover, partner/general manager of PlumpJack Estate Winery, CADE Estate Winery and Odette Estate Winery
PlumpJack Estate Winery Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
CADE Estate Winery Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Odette Estate Winery Stags Leap District Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
The Patrons’ Event will be the held the following night, July 21, at the new 21C Museum Hotel. Because of the size of the event, there will be a formal reception in one of the hotel’s gallery areas followed by two separate intimate dinners prepared by Gray & Dudley chef Levon Wallace. In sort of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” twist, patrons can pick between a dinner featuring wines from Schramsberg Vineyards, Davies Vineyards and Hirsch Vineyards or another pouring the wines of PlumpJack Estate Winery, CADE Estate Winery and Odette Estate Winery Dinner.
The highlight of the weekend is the official l’Eté du Vin, the nation’s longest-running wine auction, Saturday night, July 22, from 5:30 until the final gavel falls. The party kicks off with a tasting of some of the California classics during the silent auction portion of the event. This will be followed by the formal dinner prepared by the staff of the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel starting at 7 and the lively auction where the NWA will raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for cancer research. The live auction lots will include unique trips and luxury items, and Fritz Hatton of Zachys will return as auctioneer for the fifth year in a row.
“The Nashville Wine Auction offers its supporters the unbeatable combination of first-class wine experiences while raising millions of dollars to support cancer-fighting organizations in the Middle Tennessee area,” said Nashville Wine Auction CEO Holly Whaley. “Our team is proud to present this nationally recognized wine auction — right here in Nashville — and this year’s l’Ete’ du Vin is certainly a can’t-miss event!”
Tickets for all the events are available at the Nashville Wine Auction website.
Vintners’ Tasting, Thursday, July 20, at Richland Country Club — $175 per person
Patrons’ Dinners, Friday, July 21 —$1,000 per person
38th Annual l’Eté du Vin, Saturday, July 22, at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel — $335 per person
