PORTLAND – The 31st annual Classic Wines Auction will feature wineries from the West Coast and Italy with hopes of improving upon last year’s record $3.4 million raised.
The black-tie gala takes place March 7 at the Oregon Convention Center’s Portland Ballroom and will benefit charities in Oregon and Washington.
Last year, more than 950 wine and food lovers, business and community leaders and philanthropists attended. This year, the event begins at 5 p.m. with a wine tasting, silent auction and cooking demonstrations. The five-course dinner and live auction begin at 7 p.m.
This year’s beneficiaries include:
- Metropolitan Family Service
- New Avenues for Youth
- Friends of the Children-Portland
- YWCA Clark County
- Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel
Classic Wines Auction highlights
This year, the Classic Wines Auction’s honorary wine ambassadors include:
- Chris Mazepink, winemaker and general manager for Archery Summit Winery in Dayton, Ore.
- Drew Bledsoe, owner of Doubleback in Walla Walla, Wash.
- Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta, co-owner and manager of Sassicaia in Bolgheri, Tuscany.
- Tony LeBlanc, general manager for Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville, Calif.
The auction co-chairs are:
- Greg Goodwin, CEO of Kuni Automotive
- Peggy Maguire, president of Cambia Health Solutions
- DJ Wilson, president and general manager of KGW Media Group Portland
Among the highlights of the auction include magnums of the Elizabeth Chambers Cellar 2013 Pinot Noir. They are limited to 150 bottles. Each features one of three etched butterfly designs. Individual magnums are $200 each, while the complete set of three is $500.
The focal point of the live auction will be a 2015 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, provided by Kuni Automotive. The automobile’s starting retail value is $136,500. It features a 357 horsepower engine that accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. It has a top speed of 155 mph. The BMW i8’s lightweight composite exterior is made from carbon-fiber threads developed in Moses Lake, Wash.
“The 2015 Classic Wine Auction is an opportunity to celebrate fine wines and friends while helping children and families in our community,” said Heather Martin, auction executive director. “That this has become one of the nation’s top mission-driven wine auctions speaks to the strong and sustained support of our donors, volunteers and attendees.”
Tickets for the auction start at $1,000 per person. Tables may be purchased from $10,000 to $25,000. Call 503-972-0194.
The inaugural auction in 1982 raised more than $9,000. Since then, it has raised more than $33 million to help nonprofits, making it one of the top 10 charity wine auctions in the United States.
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