THE WINE COMMUNITY RAISES MORE THAN $2.4 MILLION TO FUND THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

NASHVILLE, TN (August 3, 2023) — The Nashville Wine Auction raised more than $2.4 million at the 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin, which was held July 29 at the JW Marriott. This year’s event featured Château Léoville Barton and Barton Family Wines with honored guest Damien Barton Sartorius. Along with Mouton-Rothschild, the Barton family is proud to be the longest-standing family of winemakers in Bordeaux.

The 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin Live Auction was the final wine experience in a 3-day series of events, which included The Vintners’ Tasting on Thursday evening and The Patrons’ Dinner on Friday evening.

Proceeds from l’Eté du Vin, the country’s longest running charity wine auction, help fund the fight against cancer by supporting thirteen local non-profit organizations whose purpose is directly related to cancer research, innovative patient treatment, and caregiver/patient support.

Twelve Barton Family Wines were featured throughout the 3-day event from Château Léoville Barton, Château Langoa Barton, and Château Mauvesin Barton. Other vintners featured at the reception on Saturday evening were Alpha Omega, Arietta, Cakebread Cellars, Evening Land Vineyards, Italian Wine Merchants and Memento Mori.

Some of the top lots sold in the l’Eté du Vin Live Auction include:

· License to Swill: The Ultimate Bond Dinner. This James Bond themed dinner for 16 people features an incredible line up of wines from BOND. Donated by BOND wines, Rahel Klapheke Sloan & Jim Sloan, Jeff Hopmayer and Chef Kevin Ramquist. This lot sold for $144,000.

· A 7-day trip for 2 couples to beautiful Croatia curated exclusively for Nashville Wine Auction and donated by Travel Sommelier. This trip doubled, selling for a total of $157,500.

· The Inner Circle Dinner to be held at the Country Music Hall of Fame with moderator Andy Chabot of Blackberry Farm. Featuring the finest wines from France and California, this once-of-a-lifetime wine experience was donated by Pam & Steve Taylor and Andy Chabot. This lot sold for $124,000.

· An exclusive trip to Bordeaux that features the perfect combination of Right Bank/Left Bank immersion for wine lovers.  This 5-night stay for 4 couples was donated by Château Léoville Barton and Château Figeac. The lot sold for $80,000.

· 1986 First Growth Bordeaux lot of nine bottles donated by Janice & David Morgan, Deby & Keith Pitts, Beth & John Huff and Jane & Peter Marcum. This lot sold for $20,000.

· An exclusive commemorative wine case filled with five special vintages of Château Langoa Barton celebrating 200 Years of History which was donated by Château Langoa Barton. This lot sold for $13,000.

President and CEO of the Nashville Wine Auction, Loren Chumley says, “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters and are so grateful to everyone who joined us this weekend.  All of our guest vintners were fantastic! Truly this is the most fun you will ever have funding the fight against cancer. “

“After these three days, I’ve gained a few more fans of my wine! It’s exciting to share these wines with so many people that have turned into friends. I love this event. I love the ambiance and that the wine community comes together to support and promote this wonderful charity,” adds Damien Barton Sartorius, owner and general manager of Barton Family Wines. 

This year’s event chairs were Rob Turner and Jay Jones – long-time supporters of Nashville Wine Auction.

The Nashville Wine Auction is proud to have the following sponsors for this event: Mercedes Benz of Music City, JW Marriott, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy, The Wilson Group, Chubb Insurance, Tennessee Oncology, Frugal MacDoogal, Gilead Oncology, The Hearn Foundation, NetJets, Starling Davis Group, Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, Ms. Denise Cummins, BeiGene, Seagen, Gold Skincare, Edwards Pharris Wealth Management Group of Morgan Stanley, Lipman Brothers, Loden Vision, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Cozen O’Conner, Scripps Howard Foundation and King Jewelers.

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ABOUT THE NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION Nashville Wine Auction’s mission is to unite the wine community to fund the fight against cancer. In 2023, Nashville Wine Auction will celebrate Pairings: Nashville’s Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend on February 23-25, 2023, the 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin on July 27-29, 2023, at JW Marriott, and Music City Harvest Party on September 29. Established in 1980, the Nashville Wine Auction has raised more than $34 million for organizations whose purpose is directly related to cutting-edge research, innovative treatment, and family/patient/caregiver support. www.NashvilleWineAuction.com

NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION BENEFICIARIES American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, The Heimerdinger Foundation, HopeKids, Inc., Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Nashville General Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, PearlPoint Nutrition Services, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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Winemaker, Sommelier & Captain of Team Zimbabwe from the Documentary, “Blind Ambition” to attend Music City Harvest Party.

Nashville Wine Auction is excited to announce that special guest Joseph Dhafana, winemaker, sommelier, and the Captain of Team Zimbabwe from the Documentary, “Blind Ambition”, will attend the Music City Harvest Party.

About Joseph Dhafana

Joseph Dhafana is a member of a team of Zimbabwe sommeliers who chose to take on the world in the sport of wine tasting. Dhafana and his teammates’ journey to the World Wine Tasting Championship (WWTC) was a circuitous path of improbability, passion, dedication, and vision.

Growing up in the rural Chirumhanzu District of Zimbabwe, wine was not part of Joseph Dhafana’s life growing up.   After graduating from school in 1999, Joseph went to a nearby city to work in the cement business. It was here he met his wife Amelia and Joseph’s journey was destined to be on a road unlike the path that has eventually landed him the in spotlight of the world of wine.

As of 2008 the economy of Zimbabwe was in dire crisis with food shortages, mass unemployment and hyperinflation. According to Joseph “the economy of Zimbabwe was going south”. In 2009, the couple decided to flee Zimbabwe and make the courageous, but illegal, journey to South Africa. Unspeakable heat and dangerous conditions marked the journey, but the couple made it across the border.

After time spent in a refugee camp, and eventually being granted asylum, they spent two weeks living on the streets of Johannesburg before on the behest of a cousin, making their way to Cape Town.

Joseph’s path was forever changed and the first steps on his journey in the wine world about to be taken. The story of Joseph and his Zimbabwean teammates Marlvin Gwese, Tinashe Nyamudoka and Pardon Taguzu, have been captured in the award-winning (winner of Audience Award at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival) documentary Blind Ambition; the story of the Olympian-like commitment of four men with little wine history competing on the wine world stage.–ASI

More about Joseph and his story may be found at the links below:

https://www.mosiwinesandspirits.com/our-story

Joseph Dhafana | ROAR AFRICA

The story of Blind Ambition | JancisRobinson.com

https://www.asi.info/blind-ambition-an-unlikely-journey-to-the-center-of-the-wine-world/

About Music City Harvest Party

This year, Music City Harvest Party brings together vintners and guests in a casual, outdoor event on one of Nashville’s highest peaks at the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory. This celebration of wine and those who make it begins with a wine tasting reception featuring 8 wineries, followed by a harvest buffet alfresco, live music, bourbon and whiskey tastings.

Featured wines for the evening will include an international selection of wines from Planeta, Andeval Wines, Phifer Pavitt, Two Hands, Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Craggy Range, Concha y Toro and Mosi Wines!

The Late Harvest Party begins after dinner featuring bourbon and whiskey tastings, live music and more wine tastings. In addition, at this time the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy telescope stargazing with astrophysicist William Teets, the director at the Observatory. These small group stargazing tours begin at 8:00 pm and run through the end of the evening ending at 11:00 pm.

“We are excited to host our fall event, the Music City Harvest Party,” says Loren Chumley, President/CEO of the Nashville Wine Auction. “The fun outdoor event will feature wines from all over the world.  In addition, we will have live music and dancing at the Late Party.  The Nashville Wine Auction’s goal is to continue to attract people who are enthusiastic to learn more about great wines while supporting many local cancer-related charities.”

The Nashville Wine Auction is the country’s longest-running charity wine auction and has raised more than $36 million dollars over the years to support local cancer-related nonprofit organizations.

Music City Harvest Party Highlights:
Location: Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, 1000 Oman Dr, Brentwood, TN 37027

Attire: Dress for a casual outdoor celebration of the harvest, “Nashville style.” Boots are welcome and encouraged. We don’t care what you wear, as long as you bring your generous spirit with you!

Transportation:  Self-parking is available; ride service is recommended.

Music City Harvest Party begins at 6:00 pm with a walk around wine tasting featuring wines from Planeta, Andeval Wines, Phifer Pavitt, Two Hands, Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Craggy Range, Concha y Toro and Mosi Wines.

Harvest Dinner Alfresco from 7:00-8:00 pm: Buffet-style dinner will be served. In true Nashville Wine Auction style, guests are encouraged to bring their own wine for dinner.

Late Harvest Party begins at 8:00 pm-11:00 pm: The wine tasting with our featured vintners continues in addition to:

-Whiskey and Bourbon tastings from Leiper’s Fork Distillery, O.H. Ingram, Red Line, Davidson Reserve and Corsair Distillery!
-Telescope Star Gazing with an Astrophysicist
-Live music and dancing
-Late-night snacks

The Nashville Wine Auction is proud to have the following sponsors for this event: Amy & Brannan Atkinson Giving Fund, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy, The Wilson Group, Sinkers Beverages, Liberty Mutual, and C3 Bank.

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NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION BENEFICIARIES American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, The Heimerdinger Foundation, HopeKids, Inc., Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Nashville General Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, PearlPoint Nutrition Services, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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With Special Guest, Joseph Dhafana, Sommelier, and the Captain of Team Zimbabwe From, “Blind Ambition”

The Nashville Wine Auction recently hosted the second annual Music City Harvest Party at The Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory.   The fundraiser hosted Joseph Dhafana, winemaker, sommelier, and the Captain of Team Zimbabwe from the award-winning documentary, “Blind Ambition” as an honored guest. The Nashville Wine Auction is the country’s longest-running charity wine auction and has raised more than $36 million dollars over the years to support local cancer-related nonprofit organizations.

SEE THE EVENT PHOTOS HERE

Music City Harvest Party featured an international selection of wines from Planeta, Andeval Wines, Phifer Pavitt, Two Hands, Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Craggy Range, Concha y Toro and Mosi Wine.  The guests enjoyed wine under clear skies with wonderful telescopic views of Saturn at one of Nashville’s highest peaks at the Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory with astrophysicist William Teets, the director at the Observatory.  The evening also included a harvest buffet alfresco, live music, Whiskey and Bourbon tastings from Leiper’s Fork Distillery, O.H. Ingram, Red Line, Davidson Reserve, and Corsair Distillery.

Amy and Brannan Atkinson, presenting sponsors of the event, graciously emceed a brief program and mission moment where Joseph Dhafana shared his inspirational story about his circuitous path of improbability, passion, dedication, and vision that eventually landed him in the spotlight of the world of wine at the World Wine Tasting Championship (WWTC). For more information about Joseph, please visit https://www.mosiwinesandspirits.com/our-story

“I always say ‘In water you see your own reflection; in wine you see the heart of another.’ This was my experience in Nashville, it feels like my new home in the United States.” said Joseph Dhafana.  “I was reminded to love, taught to share the little I have with others and to keep excelling. I will definitely come back and share my wines with the auction in the quest to cure cancer.”

“The Music City Harvest Party was a wonderful event full of wine, stargazing, and music for the Nashville Wine Auction. It is our goal is to continue to attract people who are enthusiastic to learn more about great wines while supporting many local cancer-related charities.” states Loren Chumley, president/CEO of the Nashville Wine Auction. Chumley adds “It was such a great honor to host Joseph traveling all the way from Africa as we sampled wonderful wines from all over the world.”

Sponsors include Amy & Brannan Atkinson Giving Fund, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy, The Wilson Group, Sinkers Beverages, C3 Bank and Liberty Mutual.

The next event, The Return of the Epic Party will be November 11th at 8pm at The Hatchery at Acme Feed & Seed. For more information visit HERE.

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Nashville Wine Auction presents Pairings 2024. Three Evenings of Events in Nashville’s Ultimate Wine & Food Weekend

NASHVILLE, TENN. – (NOVEMBER 8, 2023) – Pairings: Nashville’s Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend will feature celebrated chefs from Nashville and West Coast wineries. This three-day series of events will take place February 22-24, 2024, and will have something for wine lovers of various experience levels – from wine explorers to enthusiasts, and even collectors. This year’s theme is Nashville Nights & Neon Lights.

The Nashville Wine Auction is the country’s longest-running charity wine auction and has raised more than $36 million since its inception for local cancer-fighting nonprofit organizations. 

The 2024 Pairings Co-Chairs are Gabriela Lira & Jonas Sjogren and Rachel & Jeffrey Mitchell.

“The Nashville Wine Auction’s Pairings events offer our wine enthusiasts something for everyone’s taste,” said Loren Chumley, President/CEO of the Nashville Wine Auction. “We are excited to feature several new vintners as well as vintners returning by popular demand.  If you love wine, you will love these events. 

“We are excited about the growing popularity of the Pairings Dinner and Live Auction on Saturday evening,” said Gabriela Lira and Jonas Sjogren, Pairings Co-Chairs.  “This amazing event always sells out fast so get your tickets early!”

Pairings Weekend consists of three exciting nights of wine-focused events and begins with thirteen incredible Private Vintner Dinners which will take place in private homes throughout Nashville on Thursday, February 22, 2024.  More than a dozen Nashville chefs volunteer their time this evening to curate cuisine paired with wines from our featured vintners.

On Friday, February 23, wine lovers will experience Nashville’s largest upscale wine-tasting party featuring vintners from the West Coast at the popular Wined Up! event, and the accompanying Collectors’ Showcase, while mingling with friends and bidding in the wine-focused Silent Auction. Wined Up! starts at 6:00 pm and is $195 per person. The Collectors’ Showcase begins at 5:30 pm and allows collectors to taste eight additional wines upstairs in a more private setting in addition to the Wine Up! event. Tickets for the Collectors’ Showcase are $325 per person and have limited availability.

The weekend’s highlight for many is the Pairings Dinner and Live Auction which will take place on Saturday, February 24, at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel where guests will indulge in a five-course gourmet dinner featuring West Coast wines while raising their paddles in the always-exciting Live Auction. Each course of the Pairings dinner offers a carefully prepared “Pairing” where a Nashville Chef pairs a delectable dish with a featured wine. Chefs and wines to be announced soon. The event starts at 6:00 pm with a Wine Reception and hors d’oeuvres, and the Dinner and Live Auction starts at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $375 per person. The featured chefs will be announced soon. 

Private Vintner Dinners
Dinners hosted in private homes throughout Nashville.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
$350 per person ($200 tax-deductible)

Wined Up! and Collectors’ Showcase
Friday, February 23, 2024
From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
City Winery
609 Lafayette Street, Nashville, TN 37203
Wined Up!
$195 per person ($95 is tax-deductible)
Collectors’ Showcase 
$325 per person ($225 is tax-deductible)

Pairings Dinner & Live Auction
Saturday, February 24, 2024
From 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
2100 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
$375 per person ($175 is tax-deductible)

Featured Wineries for Thursday and Friday Night
ADAMVS
Antix Wines
Arrington Vineyards 
Booker Vineyard
Bricoleur Vineyards
Bucher Wines
Canaille 
CIRQ. Estate
CHEV
City Winery 
COLLATERAL
Cornell Vineyards
Cornerstone Cellars
DAOU Family Estate
Diamond Mountain Vineyard
DuMOL Winery
Hyde Vineyard Estate Winery  
Knights Bridge Winery
Lithology
New Frontier Wine Company
Lynmar Estate
Mauritson Wines
Pahlmeyer Winery
Patrimony Estate
Peay Vineyards
Roederer Estate
ROWEN Wine Company
Simon Family Estate
The Debate
Three Sticks Wines
and more!

The sponsors confirmed at this time for Pairings Weekend include Amy and Brannan Atkinson Giving Fund, Tennessee Oncology, The Navin Group, Parker’s Paws Animal Hospital, Chazin & Company, and Scripps Howard Foundation.

ABOUT THE NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION 
Nashville Wine Auction’s mission is to unite the wine community to fund the fight against cancer. In 2024, Nashville Wine Auction will celebrate Pairings: Nashville’s Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend on February 22-24 and the 45th Annual l’Eté du Vin on July 25-27 at JW Marriott.  Established in 1980, the Nashville Wine Auction has raised more than $36 million for organizations whose purpose is directly related to cutting-edge research, innovative treatment, and family/patient/caregiver support. www.NashvilleWineAuction.com

NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION BENEFICIARIES
American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, The Heimerdinger Foundation, HopeKids, Inc., Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Nashville General Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, PearlPoint Nutrition Services, Survivor Fitness Foundation, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

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NASHVILLE, TENN. – Dec. 2023 – Nashville Wine Auction is thrilled to announce that all 2023 beneficiary grants were awarded in full. This was shared at a special grant presentation earlier this month, where a group of board members, donors, and staff gathered to present the beneficiaries with this exciting news.

The Nashville Wine Auction exists to unite the wine community to fund the fight against cancer, supporting local non-profit organizations whose purpose is directly related to cutting-edge research, innovative patient treatment, and family/caregiver support.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our wine-loving community,” said Nashville Wine Auction CEO/President Loren Chumley. “Their support not only allowed us to fulfill 100% of our beneficiary grant requests this year, but it also allowed us to fulfill additional beneficiary requests, including a joint oncology training initiative for doctors visiting Nashville from Ukraine, which was provided by Tennessee Oncology and Ascension Saint Thomas in conjunction with the Ukraine Peace and Development Foundation.”

This simple end-of-year celebration is a culmination of a year-long effort for the Nashville Wine Auction team and its community. During the presentation, each beneficiary representative took a few moments to share how these funds will impact and further their mission.

“We are beyond grateful for the incredible support of Nashville Wine Auction and the positive impact these funds will make in the lives of cancer survivors,” said Meg Grunke, Co-Founder of Survivor Fitness Foundation. “Through this grant, Survivor Fitness is able to serve the growing number of cancer survivors in this community, helping them to regain their health and take back control of their lives.”

“So many moving stories about how these funds help families coping with cancer, expand pioneering cancer research, and deepen community support were shared with us,” said Christie Wilson, Nashville Wine Auction Board Chair.  “Every year, I am amazed by the unique impact these organizations have on both a local and global scale.”

Due to a successful Giving Tuesday campaign, which included a matching grant from an anonymous donor, Nashville Wine Auction provided more than $12,000 in gas cards for cancer patients in addition to the grants. A $50 gas card will be provided to many patients in need through their beneficiaries in the coming year. This allows patients to focus on their healing journey without worrying about the added expense of traveling to Nashville for treatments. 

“The generous funds raised through the Nashville Wine Auction will serve as a beacon of hope for patients and caregivers at the American Cancer Society’s Nashville Hope Lodge, providing support for accommodations and resources that empower them on their journey to recovery,” shared Scott Holmes, Senior Executive Director, ACS Tennessee. “We appreciate every supporter, as their generosity ensures the Hope Lodge remains a haven for those in the fight against cancer.”

“We are now in the 10^th year of our Meals 4 Health and Healing program, providing nutrient-dense meals and nutrition education to people facing cancer and engaging teen and adult volunteers in our Giving Garden and Healing Kitchen. Our work continues to be essential to the health of our community, as anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting foods are vital to healing and a strong immune system,” said Katharine Ray, Executive Director, Heimerdinger Foundation. “Support from the Nashville Wine Auction (NWA) makes it possible for us to continue to wrap a caring community around people in our area who are facing a difficult time and to ensure their nutritional security. With this first-time gift, the NWA has joined in the spirit of our work and has strengthened our mission. We are deeply honored to be a recipient of their profound generosity.”

Grant requests were also fulfilled for these organizations:

Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation: Funding supports the Blood Cancer and Cancer Care Respite Program that provides library and laundry resources for patient families, personalized gowns for women in chemotherapy/radiation treatment, and live stream educational classes and demonstrations. Funding also supported a special oncology training initiative for a group of Ukrainian doctors. Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation and Tennessee Oncology hosted and provided state-of-the-art oncology observership training for a team of Ukrainian doctors through a partnership initiative with the Ukraine Peace and Development Foundation.

Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee: Funding supports program costs providing evidence-based psychosocial cancer support to cancer patients and their families through community, action, and knowledge.

HopeKids, Inc.: Funding supports the HopeDay & HopeCommunity Programs that transform the lives of children with cancer and their families through events, activities, and community support.

Leukemia Lymphoma Society: Funding supports the Dare to Dream Project, which helps fund safer, less toxic, more effective treatment for kids with blood cancer. Funding also supports PearlPoint Nutrition, a program that offers free nutrition education and consultations to patients and caregivers of all cancer types.

Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee: Funding ensures that wishes come true for kids facing and fighting a cancer diagnosis, with 25+ wishes granted as of this year.

Nashville General Hospital Foundation: Funding supports the Cancer Survivorship – Video Guide providing low-literacy and ESL patients easy-to-understand material on 14 cancer topics such as follow-up care, cancer tests/treatments, side effects, cancer rehabilitation, eating healthy, fatigue, returning to work, chemo brain, managing pain, and emotional/financial support.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Funding supports the “Next 20%: T13” – Translational Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative. TI3 is an inter-departmental collaboration focused on expanding the use of cellular-based cancer immunotherapy as a curative treatment for pediatric solid tumors and brain tumors.

“This is our favorite time of the year,” said Jim Sloan, Board Treasurer and Chairman of the Nashville Wine Auction Grant Committee. “I’m thrilled we can support the work of these incredible organizations in a significant way.”

PHOTOS

Download Press Release

NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION BENEFICIARIES
American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, The Heimerdinger Foundation, HopeKids, Inc., Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee, PearlPoint Nutrition Services, Survivor Fitness Foundation, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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We are pleased to have long-time Nashville Wine Auction patron David Morgan serve as our moderator for the 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin Vintners’ Tasting.

Arriving in Nashville in 1974, David helped found Lattimore, Black, Morgan & Cain, now known as LBMC which has become a US top 30 accounting and professional service provider. Attending a wine tasting sparked an interest in learning about wine. David quickly recognized that he preferred French wines and over the years has become an avid collector of French wines, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, and Champagne.

A long-time supporter of the Nashville Wine Auction where he served on the Board for over 20 years, David is the Maître of the Nashville Chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux as well as a Member of the National Board of Governors of the US Commanderie de Bordeaux and the Grand Argentier of the US Commanderie. In 2015, he received the Norman M. Lipman Award for Wisdom and Leadership.

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Each year, the Norman M. Lipman award is presented in Lipman’s memory and in recognition of individuals who have embraced the humanitarian qualities of wisdom, courage, optimism, commitment, and integrity in their personal and professional lives.

In 2023, we honor Beth & John Huff for Steadfast Commitment

Nashville Wine Auction is fortunate to have such dedicated and generous patrons as Beth and John Huff in our community. Since 1982 there has been a Huff in attendance at every l’Eté du Vin. We are thrilled to present the Norman M. Lipman award for Steadfast Commitment to Beth and John Huff.

John served as Medical Director of Baptist Hospital Breast Center and later Imaging Director and Chief of Breast Imaging at the Vanderbilt Breast Center. He first attended l’Eté du Vin in 1982, intrigued by connecting his love of wine with supporting the American Cancer Society.

Beth was introduced to l’Eté du Vin in 1986 when she was invited as John’s date. A nurse practitioner at Vanderbilt, Beth worked in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology for almost 25 years. She was equally passionate about fighting cancer and also fell in love with both John and the community.

Being involved early on in l’Eté du Vin meant not only attending but producing and running the events. The Huffs were integral in these volunteer efforts. John spent hours each year scouring books and magazines for wine reviews to write lot descriptions and put together the catalog (pre-internet!) with Tom Milam, Terry Murray, and wine, of course! Beth coordinated the first Vintners’ Tasting in 1994 which meant addressing invitations by hand at the dining room table and accepting RSVPs on her home phone! She went on to direct the Vintners’ Tasting for 12 years. To this day, the Huffs continue to donate and attend all l’Eté du Vin events.

From Beth and John:  We have such wonderful memories of the auction over these many years – from getting to the site early to set up the auction; to celebrating in Mario Ferrari’s room late one night with a kilo of caviar; to sharing “hair of the dog” and breakfast with volunteers the next day. The friendships that were created will stay with us forever. Plus, we are proud to have been a part of an organization that has created a visible presence in the wine world, both nationally and internationally, and has raised so much money to “Fund the Fight Against Cancer.”

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NASHVILLE, TN (June 2, 2023) — The Nashville Wine Auction will host the 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin on July 27-29, 2023. The 2023 l’Eté du Vin guest of honor is Château Léoville Barton and Barton Family Wines with honored guest Damien Barton Sartorius. This three-day series of events will have something for wine lovers of various experience levels featuring: The Vintners’ Tasting on July 27, The Patrons’ Dinner on July 28, and the 44^th Annual l’Eté du Vin Live Auction on July 29. 

Proceeds from l’Eté du Vin, the country’s longest running charity wine auction, help fund the fight against cancer by supporting thirteen local non-profit organizations whose purpose is directly related to cancer research, innovative patient treatment, and caregiver/patient support.

President and CEO of the Nashville Wine Auction, Loren Chumley says, “This weekend has unique and elevated experiences for the wine lovers in our community. Our guests can expect fantastic wines to be poured by our Guest of Honor and by each of our featured vintners. We are very grateful for their support in helping us fund the fight against cancer.”

Damien Barton Sartorius, Owner and General Manager of Barton Family Wines, will be joining us as our honored guest for all three evenings of l’Eté du Vin.

This year’s event chairs are Rob Turner and Jay Jones.

“Jay and I are honored to chair this event. We love the history of l’Eté du Vin, the generosity of the people involved, and the Nashville Wine Community,” said Rob Turner, Event Co-Chair.

Tickets to l’Eté du Vin usually sell out, and they are on sale early and available now at: https://wine.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/lEt%C3%A9duVin2023/Register/tabid/1363150/Default.aspx (Prices increase after June). For more information, please visit the event web page here: https://nashvillewineauction.com/lete-du-vin/.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

l’Eté du Vin Vintners’ Tasting
A seated structured tasting of wines from Château Léoville Barton and Barton Family Wines led by honored guest Damien Barton Sartorius

Thursday, July 27, 2023
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Four Seasons Hotel Nashville 100 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37201Business Attire Valet Parking Available | Ride Service Recommended
$275 per person ($200 is tax-deductible)

l’Eté du Vin Patrons’ Dinner
Champagne Reception and Gourmet Wine Dinner with honored guest Damien Barton Sartorius, and announcing the 2023 Norman M. Lipman Award Recipients, Beth and John Huff.
Wines donated from esteemed collectors and the Patrons’ Host Committee.

Friday, July 28, 2023
6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
The Conrad Nashville1620 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203 Black TieValet Parking Available | Ride Service Recommended
$1,300 per person ($1,100 is tax-deductible)

44th Annual l’Eté du Vin
The 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin featuring Château Léoville Barton and Barton Family Wines with honored guest Damien Barton Sartorius.

Saturday, July 29, 2023
5:30 pm Silent Auction and Wine Sampling ReceptionFeaturing wines from Château Léoville Barton, Château Langoa Barton, Château Mauvesin Barton, Alpha Omega, Arietta Wines, Cakebread Cellars, Evening Land Vineyards, Italian Wine Merchants, and Memento Mori
7:00 pm Seated Dinner & Spirited Live AuctionJW Marriott, Griffin Ballroom
201 8th Avenue S, Nashville, TN 37203
Cocktail Attire Valet Parking Available | Ride Service Recommended
$500 per person ($300 is tax-deductible)

Important Note: On July 1 the ticket price for l’Eté du Vin increases to $550 per person

The Nashville Wine Auction is proud to have the following sponsors for this event: Mercedes Benz of Music City, JW Marriott, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy, The Wilson Group, Chubb Insurance, Tennessee Oncology, Frugal MacDoogal, Gilead Oncology, The Hearn Foundation, NetJets, Starling Davis Group, Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, BeiGene, Seagen, Gold Skincare, Edwards Pharris Wealth Management Group of Morgan Stanley, Lipman Brothers, Loden Vision, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Cozen O’Conner, Scripps Howard Foundation and King Jewelers.

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ABOUT THE NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION

Nashville Wine Auction’s mission is to unite the wine community to fund the fight against cancer. In 2023, Nashville Wine Auction will celebrate Pairings: Nashville’s Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend on February 23-25, 2023, the 44th Annual l’Eté du Vin on July 27-29, 2023, at JW Marriott, and Music City Harvest Party on September 29. Established in 1980, the Nashville Wine Auction has raised more than $33 million for organizations whose purpose is directly related to cutting-edge research, innovative treatment, and family/patient/caregiver support. www.NashvilleWineAuction.com

NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION BENEFICIARIES

American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, The Heimerdinger Foundation, HopeKids, Inc., Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee, Nashville General Hospital Foundation, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, PearlPoint Nutrition Services, Survivor Fitness, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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NASHVILLE, TN — The Nashville Wine Auction once again celebrated a record-breaking weekend to help fund the fight against cancer. More than $1 million was raised during the 12th annual Pairings: Nashville’s Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend on February 22-24.

Nashville has a thriving and generous wine community, supporting the lives of thousands through donations and attendance. Long-time supporters Gabriela Lira & Jonas Sjögren and Rachel & Jeff Mitchell co-chaired Pairings. Proceeds from the weekend will help fund the fight against cancer through local cancer organizations that provide innovative patient treatment, cancer research and caregiver/patient support. 

“Co-chairing this event was a rewarding experience. It is amazing what a community can do when it is brought together,” Pairings co-chairs Gabriela Lira and Jonas Sjögren said.What better way to fund the fight against cancer than drinking wine with your friends?”

The three-day, fun-filled weekend kicked off with 13 vintner dinners hosted in private homes and a restaurant on Thursday. Over 250 guests enjoyed meeting winemakers and tasting their fantastic wines at special dinners prepared by renowned chefs. 

“We can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend than fundraising for the fight against cancer,” Pairings co-chairs and hosts of a Private Vintner Dinner Rachel and Jeff Mitchell said. “From the dinner hosted at our home to the exciting finale Saturday evening, each vintner, chef and guest helped make this record-breaking evening possible.”

On Friday evening, the Nashville Wine Auction hosted “Wined Up! & The Collectors’ Showcase,” a walk-around wine tasting party and Silent Auction at City Winery. More than 300 guests enjoyed selections from 30 West Coast wineries including ADAMVS, CIRQ., Diamond Mountain Vineyards, L’Aventure Winery, Lithology, COLLATERAL, DuMOL, Pahlmeyer Winery, Peay Vineyards, Simon Family Estate, Three Sticks Wines and more. 

“The Nashville Wine Auction is truly exceptional! From the exquisite food and exceptional wines to the meticulously curated events, every aspect is executed with a commitment to first-class quality,” Bill Price III, proprietor of Three Sticks Wines, said. “However, what truly sets this event apart is the genuine warmth exuded by the people involved. It’s this sincere hospitality that elevates the experience for everyone fortunate enough to participate.”

“This was our first year participating in the Nashville Wine Auction, and we loved it! The team is so warm and friendly, and the events are so well organized,” Jill Davis of DuMOL said. “We will definitely be back next year!”

Pairings weekend was capped with a five-course meal from featured chefs paired with featured wines and a spirited Live Auction on Saturday evening. Wines served at dinner included selections from Hyde Vineyard Estate, Three Sticks Wines, COLLATERAL, Lithology and Roederer Estate. Dinner was prepared by Chefs Joe Townsend, Kevin Ramquist, Sean Strolle, Matt Bell and Alyssa Gangeri. 

The top lots sold in the Pairings Live Auction on Saturday included:

• A dinner dubbed “Progression to Debauchery The Sequel” that will be talked about for ages! Country music icon Kix Brooks unexpectedly joined hosts David Osborn and Rahel Klapheke Sloan on stage to sweeten the offer for this dinner, which tripled the bidding per seat raising a total of $143,500 for this one-of-a-kind wine experience. 

• An amazing trip called “Tasty, In-Depth Napa Research” doubled bringing in a total of $50,000. This West Coast winery tour features 12 wineries, seven of whom had representatives in the room Saturday evening: Cornell Vineyards, THE DEBATE, Simon Family Estate. ADAMVS, Diamond Mountain Vineyards, Hyde Estate Vineyards and Lithology. 

• Two other dinners were hot at the auction: “Oh, What a Knight,” an intimate dinner for 20 guests featuring Peter Michael Wines and special guest winemaker Robert Fiore, sold for $26,250. Our Pairings Co-Chairs sold a co-hosted dinner called “20 Years Under the Super Tuscan Sun” for $25,000. This dinner for eight guests will feature Tuscan wines and a meal prepared by Chef Tony Galzin of Nicky’s Coal Fired. 

• Three couples hit the jackpot with a trip called “Vive la Reeve-olution!” that sold for $25,000. These couples will embark on a Sonoma adventure, including a four-night stay at Reeve Villa and tastings with Reeve Wines, DuMOL, Mauritson Wines, J. Bucher Wines and more. 

There were more than trips and dinners up for auction Saturday evening. The top wine lots included: 

• “Had a Good DEBATE Lately?” – This lot included three Beckstoffer Magnums from THE DEBATE and doubled, bringing in $10,000. 

• “Pinot Noir Magnums from the Stellar Taylor Cellar” – Donated by long-time supporters Pam & Steve Taylor, this lot included Pinot Noir Magnums and went home for $6,000.

• “Easy to Love California Cabs” – This lot of 16 bottles of California Cabernet Sauvignon curated by various donors went for $6,000.

• The night ended with a lot “Previewing the Wines of the 45th Parallel for l’Eté du Vin,” which went for $5,000. The wines in this lot offer a glimpse at the featured wineries coming to the 45th Annual l’Eté du Vin on July 25-27. 

“Our 12th Pairings event was a smashing success in many ways,” Loren Chumley, President and CEO of the Nashville Wine Auction, said.“We had so many long time, as well as new wine-loving supporters in the room on Saturday helping us break records to fund the fight against cancer while having a grand time!”

The Nashville Wine Auction is proud to have the following sponsors for the event: Atkinson Giving Fund, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy, Tennessee Oncology, The Wilson Group, Parker’s Paws Animal Hospital, GILEAD Oncology, Morgan Stanley, Husch Blackwell, The Navin Group, Encore and Chazin & Company. 

NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION BENEFICIARIES

American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, Ascension Saint Thomas Foundation, Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee, The Heimerdinger Foundation, HopeKids, Inc., Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Nashville General Hospital Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Survivor Fitness Foundation, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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Andy Chabot is known as the Wine Geek — and for good reason. 

Chabot graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, moved to East Tennessee and began his career with Blackberry Farm in 2002. He quickly became involved in the young wine program and in less than six years, the cellar grew from 17,000 to 166,000. In 2007, Chabot became the Director of Food and Beverage, running all aspects of service and beverage operations at Blackberry Farm.

In 2022, Chabot was promoted to Senior Vice President of Food and Beverage for Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain. Chabot has been featured in Imbibe Magazine, Wine Spectator Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, The TODAY Show, Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40, and more.

Chabot joined us in February for The Incomparable Indulgence In the Inner Circle dinner at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Logan Griffin, Director of Food and Beverage at Blackberry Farm, also attended the dinner. We couldn’t think of anyone better to share insights on the wine lineup than the Wine Geek himself! After the dinner, Chabot shared more of his expertise with Nashville Wine Auction. 

What drew you to a career in wine?

I was a cook who went to culinary school because I loved restaurants. But it turns out, I didn’t know all the avenues you could take in food and beverage. While working at The Little Nell in Aspen as a cook, I realized that perhaps the “wine guys” were having more fun than I was having. I went back to school and then began looking for work in the dining room – hopefully to eventually focus on wine. I found Blackberry Farm and when I started, the owner, Sam Beall, was running the wine program which was in its infancy. I was able to begin helping him to grow the program and the rest is history!

What are some of the highlights of your career so far?

This is difficult to answer — there are so many high points over the last 21 years at Blackberry. I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the very best chefs and wine personalities. We’ve won numerous James Beard Awards during that time, which were certainly highlight moments. But generally speaking, I love that we’ve been able to ensure that Blackberry Farm and Walland, Tennessee are talked about in the same sentence as the other top restaurants and hotels in the world. It’s always humbling to see that.

You receive many invitations with your illustrious background. What made you decide to accept an invitation to moderate this dinner? 

There is a great wine community in Nashville that has always been very friendly and generous. I honestly was honored to be asked to be a part of this dinner and when I knew Mr. Taylor was donating the wines, I knew it would be one of the top tastings I’ve ever gotten to be a part of! 

When Steve Taylor was putting together the wines that he wanted to donate for this dinner, he very purposefully coursed together a side by side tasting of some of the most critically acclaimed vintners/wines from California and from France.  Please share your thoughts on the experience of showing and tasting these wines together.  

I said this during the dinner — and I continue to believe it — this was a really fun experience. I think what’s so special is that while trying wines of this caliber, you can still have fun. What made it fun to me other than the incredible caliber of these wines was that with each course, there were several pairings available, and I love getting to try food and wine together to see what I think works really well and things that don’t. This dinner gave me that opportunity at the very highest level.

Are there general descriptors that you might use for someone comparing say a sauvignon blanc/blend from Sancerre, Bordeaux and California – to determine their palate preference? 

Generally, yes. While all will be racy, fresh and mineral-driven, I find that Bordeaux whites that often include Semillon can be a bit waxier and often they will have some oak presence. Sancerre is clean and chalky, with some more pronounced green pepper and herbal characteristics. California versions often have more pronounced tropical flavors. In this case, the Eisele Vineyard really showcased the Sauvignon Musque in the blend which lends a unique grapey and melon type of aroma to the wine that I thoroughly enjoyed. The Haut Brion Blanc was dominated by Semillon that gave it that waxy, honeyed note, while the Silex from Dagueneau was racy, lean, and mineral-driven. A great flight!

This menu (linked at left) includes one course with all five of the first growth Bordeaux from 1996. Can you describe this experience in such a way that it would resonate with someone early in their wine exploration?  

I think that many people study Bordeaux early on in their wine exploration. It has a ton of history and a clear classification system. But rarely do we get to try the top growths and certainly rarely next to each other. 

To begin with, in Bordeaux, the Chateaux and the wine made by the chateaux are what are classified. They were originally classified in 1855 based on their reputation and price at the time and that hasn’t changed much since then. 

There are 61 “Crus” or classified wines and they’re rated as Premiers Crus, Deuxiemes Crus, Troisiemes Crus, Quartiemes Crus or Cinquieme Crus. There are only 5 Premiers Crus: Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Haut Brion, and Chateau Margaux. 

Of those five, four of them are in the classic left bank part of Bordeaux known as Medoc, while the Haut Brion is in Pessac Leognan to the south but still on the right bank. 

The 4 Medoc wines were similar in their blend and had similar tasting notes to me. Cabernet Sauvignon dominated with either Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot backing them up. The Haut Brion was dominated by Merlot.

I thought it was great to try these wines with age. First off, because 1996 was a really great vintage on the right bank that year that many would call “classic” so it was just a pleasure to get to try these wines. 

But I like tasting wines like this with some age mostly because I think they really show their personality and unique characteristics and slight flaws that to me make the wines interesting and different from one another. Had we tasted them all very young, I think they would have seemed more similar to each other. 

For me, the Chateau Latour won the night, with beautiful deep fruit, power, intensity, purity, and still a youthfulness that is a hallmark of a great night. But trying any one of them alone, I would have been floored – they were all great!

Many wine collector dinners include vintages of the same wine. For example, you attended a 28-year vertical tasting of Masseto event that the Nashville Wine Auction hosted a few years ago.  From the perspective of an expert at food and wine pairing, how would you contrast pairing food and wine at this dinner with so many grape varietals represented versus a vertical experience? What are some of the challenges you see when doing food pairing for a large vertical of the same wine? 

The biggest challenge to me is overcoming the idea that it is going to be a pairing. Sometimes, it’s best to simply understand, it’s an incredible wine tasting with a great meal but not a perfect pairing because you want the menu to progress and naturally nobody wants to eat five courses of the same food! 

The second challenge to me is how to organize the wines so everyone knows what they’re drinking and when, but also so that the groupings or flights make sense with one another. Guests will often compare wines within a single flight so we always owe it to the wines to be paired fairly or an otherwise great wine might get passed over.

What are some of the classic pairings you recommend with some of the wines that were shown at this dinner? 

For the dinner we did, there were several great classic pairings shown. We had oysters with Sauvignon Blanc. Another great pairing would maybe have been a light salad with mustard vinaigrette and sheep’s milk cheese.

With the Chardonnay flight, we had an Apple & Parsnip bisque with crab, brown butter and pancetta. It was a really nice pairing. I also like pasta with butter sauce and black truffles, or seared scallops, or lobster — basically shellfish and butter are great with Chardonnay!

With the Pinot Noir flight, we had a stylized cassoulet which was lovely. Simple food is best for great pinot noir, and simple food without sweetness is necessary since sweet tends to mute the fruit in Pinot Noir. I really like simple light meat dishes like chicken, guinea hen, or even duck or lamb with roasted veggies and maybe some mustard which is always nice with Pinot Noir. 

Then we had the two cab flights with elk and beef. Two great pairings. I wouldn’t have done anything different! 

The crème brûlée with the Chateau d’Yquem was great. I also like fruit desserts like Tarte Tatin, which would be another classic pairing!

What inspires you most about the wine community? 

The wine community is dominated by people that want to share great experiences and to learn. At every level, those are the two things I notice and what inspires me about the wine community. It’s what I love about it. We never stop learning, and we all share with each other!

Thank you to Weatherly Photography for capturing this dinner. See the full gallery here.

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