40th Annual l’Eté du Vin Raises $1.1 Million to Help Fund the Fight Against Cancer
Nashville Wine Auction event theme was ‘Taste the History, Savor the Wine, Find the Cure”
NASHVILLE, TENN. – August 7, 2019– The Nashville Wine Auction held the 40th Annual l’Eté du Vin with a series of three main fundraising events from July 20-27 and raised $1.1 Million to help fund the fight against cancer. These events included: a black-tie Patrons’ Dinner; the Vintners’ Tasting and the Grand Auction known as l’Eté du Vin.
This glamorous and convivial series of events featured guests of honor Carlton McCoy, MS, President and CEO of Heitz Cellar from Napa Valley, and François Servin, Winemaker and Owner, Domaine Marcel Servin of Chablis, France.
“We are grateful to our donors, bidders, special guests and volunteers whose generous contributions made raising this year’s total $1.1million possible,” said Nashville Wine Auction CEO Holly Whaley. “We always say, ‘You may come for the wine, but you stay for the cause.’ Some of the attendees at l’Eté du Vin this year have stayed with us — and the cause — for almost four decades. This says so much about the quality of the event, the generosity of these people, and Nashville’s ever-growing interest in excellent wine experiences. We are fortunate to have such loyalty behind our nonprofit.”
Some of the biggest auction items bringing in the funds this year included:
> Rhône Trip brought in the most money because it sold for $30k three times
> Taylor Open Cellar was the biggest lot at $40,500 (54 people)
> Belmond Luxury Barge Cruise through Champagne sold to a group of ladies for $38K
> Dinner with Scarecrow: A No-Brainer sold for $36K
> Extravagant Napa Trip sold for $32K
> Spain Trip sold for $30k
> 1982 First-Growth Bordeaux wine lot honoring Glenn Eaden sold for $25k
> Across the Globe: Epic Wine and Food Tour sold for $24k
> Five Decades of Heitz: Vertical Tasting sold for $22k
> Grand Cru Jadot Tasting sold for $20,800
> 1990 Bordeaux Tasting sold for $20k
Details about all the auction items can be found in the Auction Catalog online here: https://nashvillewineauction.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/FULL-LEDV-2019-Catalog.pdf
The theme for this year’s event was “Taste the History, Savor the Wine, Find the Cure” in recognition of the milestone anniversary of the non-profit organization – as well as the heritage of the iconic wines from the guest winemakers.
“As a resident of Nashville, we were honored to bring our wine here for such an amazing cause,” said Gaylon Lawrence, owner of Heitz Cellar. “We thank the Nashville Wine Auction for featuring Heitz Cellar and we’re delighted to play a role in helping raise more than one million dollars to fight against cancer.”
The 40th anniversary year officially launched in June with a first-ever l’Eté du Vin Impact Party, which took place at OZ Arts Nashville. This special occasion’s guest list included 200 significant supporters of the non-profit organization. Past event chairs, generous wine donors, enthusiastic bidders, and former staff and volunteers gathered with current Nashville Wine Auction leaders to celebrate the many years of positive impact made on our community. Robert Lipman presented Ann Eaden with the Norman M. Lipman Award in honor of Ann and her late husband, Glenn Eaden. The Eadens have been fixtures of the Nashville Wine Auction events since its inception. Glenn Eaden passed away in December 2018.
The Patrons’ Dinner was held on July 20 and was a black-tie affair held at the elegant Hermitage Hotel providing the ideal setting for a gourmet dinner featuring some of the best wines in the world donated by collectors from across the country. Chef Jose Gutierrez of Memphis prepared the feast in collaboration with Executive Chef Derek Brooks of The Hermitage Hotel. The Patron’s Dinner was chaired by Loren Chumley and Jim Lewis.
The Vintners’ Tasting was held on July 26. This year’s event moved to the Hutton Hotel to accommodate the ever-growing demand from local wine enthusiasts. The event included a seated structured tasting of wines from Domaine Marcel Servin and Heitz Cellar as well as the opportunity to hear stories and ask questions of the guest winemakers, moderated by Sabato Sagaria, MS. The Vintners’ Tasting was chaired by Keri McInnis and Tara Mullaney.
Vintners’ Tasting featured guests pictured above: Carlton McCoy, Jr. MS, Sabato Sagaria, MS and Winemaker François Servin
The 40th anniversary event culminated on July 27 with l’Eté du Vin, the country’s longest-running charity wine auction, at the JW Marriott. The venerable evening was overseen by The Grand Auction Committee, and Fritz Hatton of Zachys returned as auctioneer for the seventh year in a row.
Sponsors included Mercedes Benz of Music City, JW Marriott, Heitz Cellar, KPMG, Xtandi / Pfizer Oncology, City Winery, The Edwards Pharris Group at Morgan Stanley, Tennessee Oncology, Gold Skin Care, Pinnacle Financial Partners, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, The Starling Davis Group, Movement Mortgage, Clinical Solutions Pharmacy, Gary Musick Productions, Scripps Howard Foundation, Nashville Wine Storage, Emily Dyer Design, Mednikow Jewelers and the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center.
INFO ABOUT NOTED GUESTS
Carlton McCoy, Jr. MS, President & CEO, Heitz Cellar – Napa Valley
Carlton McCoy, Master Sommelier, became President and CEO of Heitz Cellar in December 2018. To Carlton, Heitz Cellar represents a very particular style of Napa wines: ones that speak to an earlier era in California winemaking. His vision will highlight the winery’s consistent focus on remaining true to its elegant, pure style. “There has to be reverence when it comes to these older brands that create the greatest wines in the country,” said McCoy. “It is fortunate that the Heitz family believed in that style and didn’t change it over the years. It makes the wines the unique experience that they are.”
About Heitz Cellar
Founded in 1961, Heitz Cellar is a true Napa Valley legend that has helped shape the story of California winemaking. Pioneering vintner Joe Heitz ushered in Napa’s modern era with his iconic, globally celebrated wines, including Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated wine, the renowned Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, first made in 1966.
Heitz Cellar’s vineyards lie within six of Napa Valley’s 16 appellations; a diverse palette that conveys the breadth of geography and climate that makes the Napa Valley one of the world’s finest winegrowing destinations. Heitz proudly crafts an illustrious wine portfolio of prestigious Napa Valley varietals, including four Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel. The winery also creates both a red wine and a Rosé made from Grignolino, a charming Italian variety rarely found in the US., and a Port made from Portuguese grape varieties.
For nearly 60 years, Heitz Cellar has been synonymous with the very best of Napa Valley. Made with an unwavering commitment to quality from organically farmed, 100% Napa Valley fruit, Heitz celebrates both its winemaking and farming with a commitment to the stewardship of Napa Valley.
François Servin, Winemaker, Domaine Marcel Servin – Chablis, France
François Servin has managed Domaine Servin since 1988 utilizing a delicate mix of modern-day technology and a respect for his family’s heritage.
François Servin took his personal vines from the family Domaine (or domain) to create Domaine Marcel Servin. The name, Marcel Servin is in respect for his father, grandfather and great grandfather who were all named Marcel.
His family can be traced back to the very first marriage records in Chablis in 1654, but their roots stretch even further. In 1537, the Monks of the Abbey of Pontigny established a list of the owners of vines in Chablis and the Servin’s name is inscribed there. This uninterrupted succession of generations of passionate winemakers has created an important legacy of old vines and a profound understanding of terroir.
The consistent high quality of the Servin wines soon made their way to the best tables in Paris with Le Taillevent, Prunier and La Tour d’Argent being their first clients. The first major export partner was Alexis Lichine (American of Russian origin – Château Prieuré Lichine in Margaux) who opened doors to the U.S. market. The Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York was the first overseas customer, with a Chablis Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 1943 on its prestigious wine list.
Servin is a fervent advocate for the aging capacity of Chablis,
“I remember tasting legendary vintages, such as 1959, 1947 and 1929, with my parents and grandparents,” said Servin. “These wines were spectacular. It surprises me when I hear people say that white wines can’t age. I have the proof in my cellar that they can. I want my wines to be ‘real’ Burgundy wines like the ones of my forefathers”.
Nashville Wine Auction Beneficiaries
- American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge
- Gilda’s Club Middle Tennessee
- Leukemia Lymphoma Society
- Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee
- PearlPoint Nutrition Services
- Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Saint Thomas Cancer Network
- Jude Children’s Research Hospital
ABOUT NASHVILLE WINE AUCTION: Nashville Wine Auction’s mission is to unite the wine community to fund the fight against cancer. Throughout the year, Nashville Wine Auction hosts four major events – Pairings: The Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend, l’Eté du Vin: The Country’s Longest Running Charity Wine Auction, Champagne & Chardonnay: A Sparkling Evening Just for Ladies and The Men’s Event: Honoring the Life and Spirit of Billy Ray Hearn. Established in 1980, the Nashville Wine Auction has raised more than $26 million for organizations whose purpose is directly related to treatment, patient care and the eradication of cancer here in Middle Tennessee.
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