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A taste of the good things to come during dinner at the Live Auction.
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Andrea and Bill Phelps of the Joseph Phelps Vineyards Family, Auction Napa Valley 2007 chairs, greet guests as they arrive at Meadowood Napa Valley for the Live Auction.
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California lieutenant governor John Garamendi (second from right) presents Auction Napa Valley with a Commendation from the State of California during the Live Auction.
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Comedian Dana Carvey opened the Live Auction with a stand-up performance that had the crowd in stitches about everything from politicians to capital gains.
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Dana Carvey successfully auctions off Lot 1, the Joseph Phelps Vineyards chairs' lot, for $140,000.
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Paddle 13's holders celebrate winning the Robert Mondavi Winery's "Sea to Shining Sea" Live Auction lot.
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Joy Craft, paddle #1, toasts her first successful bid of the evening.
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Stratton Sclavos (2nd from right) celebrates his successful bid for the Frank Family Vineyards lot, which includes a walk-on role on "Ugly Betty" and private dancing lessons with "Dancing with the Stars'" Stacy Keibler (2nd from left).
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The holders of paddle 5 are congratulated by Garen & Shari Staglin on winning the Staglin Family Vineyard's Live Auction lot--and setting a new record for a single auction lot bid: $1.1 million.
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While some guests danced the night away after the Live Auction, some chose to kick back and enjoy the ambiance and a little more Napa Valley wine.
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Succcessful bidder and vintner Mary Miner (center) celebrates her win of the "Napa Valley Vintners Hit the Road with Lexus" auction lot, which includes becoming one of the first owners in the U.S. of the soon-to-be-released Lexus LS 600h L luxury hybrid sedan.
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Auction Napa Valley's first-ever "Fund a Need" raised $764,000 in straight donations from guests, which will provide more than 4,000 medical visits for children at Napa's Community Health Clinic Ole.
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Vintners Joseph Phelps (center) and Bob Trinchero (right) teamed up to pledge $225,000 for the Fund a Need, and will have their names etched on the permanent wine glass trophy Bob wields--as will underbidder Joy Craft who pledged $200,000 to Fund a Need.
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Auction Napa Valley thanks auctioneer Ursula Hermacinscki for her years of support as she announces her retirement from auctioneering.
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Balloons fill the air as the Live Auction closes, celebrating the more than $9.8 million raised over the course of the weekend's festivities.
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The elegant grounds of Meadowood glow in the candlelight of luminarias as the evening draws to a close.
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Holders of paddle #5 enjoy the post-Auction party after becoming the evening's top bidders.
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"Dancing with the Stars" stars Geoff Stults and Stacy Keibler join guests in celebrating as another successful Auction Napa Valley.
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Not just an ordinary barrel of wine but one sold to ten successful bidders in the Barrel Tasting & Auction at Auction Napa Valley.
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Putting a gourmet spin on takeout food, this was just one item offered by the more than 90 restaurateurs and artisan food purveyors at the Taste Napa Valley event.
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Fresh-from-the oven pizza offered to guests at the Friday event.
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Vintner Michael Mondavi pours samples of one of his family's newer ventures.
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"Dancing with the Stars"' Stacy Keibler and Geoff Stults check out the Taste Napa Valley event at Auction Napa Valley.
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More than 140 wineries and 90 food purveyors wined and dined guests at the Taste Napa Valley event.
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A treasure within a treasure: Schrader wines offered in a Goyard case.
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A Lexus LS 600H L luxury hybrid sedan tempts guests both with the car…
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and the trunk filled with large-format bottles of Napa Valley wine.
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Taste Napa Valley attendees get in on the online bidding action as the E-Auction draws to a close.
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One of the "almost too pretty to eat" items offered at the Taste Napa Valley event.
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Guests sample everything from freshly grilled meats to locally grown produce.
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Longtime bidder Michael Zaccaro celebrates his win of E-Auction lot 101, which included a Viking Range Ultra-Premium grill and a dinner hosted by members of the Joseph Phelps Vineyards family, Auction Napa Valley 2007 chairs.
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Guests closely watch the leader boards as the first wave of E-Auction lots closes.
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A volunteer posts a new bid on the Cakebread Cellars barrel auction lot, knocking one poor bidder out of the chance of winning a case of the wine.
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Attendees sample wines just pulled from the barrel as they choose which of 106 barrel auction lots to bid on.
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Picture-perfect weather welcomed the arrival of Auction Napa Valley 2007, with its Taste Napa Valley event on Friday, June 8.
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Trinchero Family Estates tempts guests not only with its wine, but with the perfect food accompaniment, as well.
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Guests mingle and sample through a half-dozen tents filled with the finest food and wine offerings.
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Auction Napa Valley volunteers whoop it up for a great cause: raising millions for local health, youth and affordable housing charities.
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A perfectly restored Woodie, a one-of-a-kind Safari Airstream and a yet-to-be-released Lexus were among the items paired with Napa Valley wines for Auction lots this year.
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A delicious experiment in gastronomy at the Taste Napa Valley event.
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Doug Shafer and Elias Fernandez (left) of Shafer Vineyards celebrate with Lawrence Schwartz on his being the top bidder in the Barrel Auction after purchasing a case of not-yet-released Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon for $15,500.
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The top bidder of each winery's Barrel Auction lot receives a branded barrel head to commemorate the win.
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St. Helena provided the stunning backdrop for the Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery hospitality event on Friday evening.
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A perfectly appointed table awaits only guests and wine to get the party started at the Spottswoode estate.
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Chef Richard Reddington of Restaurant Redd in Yountville prepares the feast for Auction-goers attending the Spottswoode Estate event.
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The chateau at Rubicon Estate was the site of another classic and elegant hospitality event on Friday evening at Auction Napa Valley.
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Guests to the Rubicon Estate hospitality event enjoyed classic American fare prepared by the winery's executive chef, Kelly McCown, and wines selected by one renowned sommelier Larry Stone.
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After a tour of the historic caves, Schramsberg Vineyards' hospitality event-goers enjoyed an elegant al fresco brunch .
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Guests at the Schramsberg Vineyards Saturday hospitality event linger in the Davies family's garden over glasses of Schramsberg sparkling wine and J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon.
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The historic mountainside property of Schramsberg Vineyards was just one of the settings among dozens of vintner-hosted hospitality events held throughout the Valley as part of Auction Napa Valley.
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With incredible views that span the Napa Valley, the patio of Jones Family Vineyards was an ideal location for an al fresco hospitality event.
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World-class wines paired with incredible meals and spectacular settings were the hallmark for Auction Napa Valley hospitality events, such as the one held at Jones Family Vineyards.
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A bounty of seasonal, sustainably grown food items were featured in meals throughout the weekend's festivities.
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