- Events
- Education & Humanities
- Performance & Film
- Visual Arts
Theatre- Get Involved
- About
The folks at Cakebread Cellars believe that the key to successful winemaking is teamwork, and they have assembled a team with unmatched experience and passion. They believe that life’s occasions are elevated by good people, good food and good wine, and that philosophy flows through everything they do. You can almost taste it in their wines. Try it out yourself by bringing home a Magnum of Cakebread’s 2010 Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Blend tonight.
This wine from Cakebread’s high-elevation vineyard on Howell Mountain boasts intense mountain character and optimal balance. Beautifully structured on the palate, its rich, deeply concentrated flavors culminate in a long, spicy finish. The youthful Cabernet blend is delicious now with hearty foods, but will develop even greater dimension and complexity over the next decade. Rated 96+ points by The Wine Advocate, the review points out its “stunning purity, terrific precision, and a full-bodied mouthfeel…a modern-day classic. This iconic wine should last 30 or more years.” But don’t delay; the wine’s limited availability might make it tricky to find.
OPENING BID
$225
INCLUDES
One 1.5-Liter Bottle
DONOR
Cakebread Cellars
Rutherford, California
Château Lafite Rothschild, one of the five First Growth Bordeaux, is, of course, one of the most famous and collected wines in the world. And tonight, one of our donors has contributed this incredible bottle of 2001 Domaines Barons de Rothschild Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac. The wine garnered 96 points from Wine Spectator: “Deep and generous aromas of blackberries, fresh tobacco and minerals. It’s full-bodied, with big velvety tannins and a super long finish. Like a fine cashmere sweater.” And 94 points from The Wine Advocate: “This blend is a classic example of Lafite. Extremely elegant, medium-bodied, with intense concentration, richness, and sweet tannin, it appears to be on a rapid evolutionary track, at least in comparison to recent Lafite vintages that have been far more backward and powerful.” This bottle needs a home in your cellar. Tonight.
OPENING BID
$1,125
INCLUDES
One 750 ml Bottle
DONOR
Private
Perched high atop the cool Santa Cruz Mountains, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Ridge Monte Bello estate is an ideal site for the winery’s Bordeaux varietals. These low-yielding vines produce two complementary Cabernet blends. An impres- sive Imperial of one of those, the Monte Bello Cabernet from 2007, could be yours this evening. Year after year, Monte Bello proves to be a consistently outstanding wine with great structure, complexity and balance. And in terms of ageability, it has been known to lay down for several decades with elegance and ease. Wine Spectator gave it 92 points, calling it “full-bodied, elegant, and persistent…most interesting on the finish, where the flavors are long and lingering.” The longer this one sleeps in the cel- lar, the better it will be. Can you stand the suspense?
OPENING BID
$1,500
INCLUDES
One 6-Liter Bottle
DONOR
Ridge Vineyards,
Cupertino California
Rusack, a boutique winery and vineyard, is nestled among the oak-studded rolling hills of Ballard Canyon. Their world-class, handcrafted wines have become known around the world for their striking elegance, robust yet silky fruit, and seductive finish—reminiscent of the gorgeous rolling hills of the area at dusk. The winery sources Pinot Noir grapes from some of the premier vineyards on the Central Coast. The wide variety of microclimates in the region, ranging from the wind-swept, misty hilltops of Santa Rita Hills to the diverse, fertile soils in Santa Maria Valley, provide the opportunity to craft a variety of wines. This particular selection, the 2012 Rusack Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, is packed with the bright, spicy flavors of strawberries, coffee and caramel and is a very approachable, food-friendly wine. The bottle is etched and hand-painted with vintage Sun Valley artwork, making it a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that you will surely treasure.
OPENING BID
$650
INCLUDES
One 5-Liter Bottle
DONOR
Rusack Vineyards
Solvang, California
Recognized for transforming wine culture over the past 50 years, Riedel’s design-focused crystal decanters and stemware collections have been selected for display at museums around the world. This Flamingo decanter is part of a series reflecting the natural grace and beauty of birds in flight. This towering, beautiful piece has a broad, bulb-shaped base and a long, slender neck. The extended neck provides a drip-free pour that adds drama to any dinner. The Flamingo’s design provides perfect stability and control when pouring, and a great reach, even if poured from a relative distance across the table. This mouth- blown, handmade decanter is a showstopper whether in use or on display as a stunning work of art.
OPENING BID
$390
INCLUDES
One Crystal Wine Decanter
DONOR
Riedel Crystal of America, Inc.
Founded in 2003, Precept Wine is the largest family-owned wine company in the Northwest. They believe that wine without character isn’t worth drinking, wine improves the quality of life, and wine reflects the people who make it. The heart and soul of Precept Wine’s production are in the winemaking regions of Washington, Oregon and Idaho, where ideal soils, extensive sunlight and warm days with cool nights make for some of the best wines in the world. Their grapes are sourced from a combination of owned and contracted vineyards throughout the Northwest, which allows their winemakers to select from the finest vineyards to make the highest quality wines. Tonight, Precept offers a mixed case of varietals and vintages from two of their premier vineyards, Canoe Ridge and Sawtooth. You can take home four bottles each of 2010 Canoe Ridge Estate Merlot, 2011 Sawtooth Trout Trilogy Petite Sirah, and 2012 Sawtooth Classic Fly Series Tempranillo.
OPENING BID
$225
INCLUDES
Twelve 750ml Bottles
DONOR
Precept Wine
Seattle, Washington
The goal of the winemakers at Morgan Winery is to produce wines that are “true”— true to the variety and vineyard source and showing true balance and complexity, while being enjoyable upon release. Their single-minded focus has produced a record of consistent, category leading, award-winning wines. Tonight’s offering from Morgan is a Magnum of the 2012 Twelve Clones Pinot Noir, drawn from the finest vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, including the winery’s own organically farmed “Double L” estate. The Double L Vineyard is located near the northern tip of the Santa Lucia Highlands. Afternoon winds. Evening fog. Porous mountainside soils. All in all, the perfect location for growing the best Pinot grapes.
This special wine demonstrates the power and finesse of Pinot Noir from the area. Its perfectly poised fruit/acid balance makes this wine incredibly food-versatile and earlier vintages have consistently scored in the 90s.
OPENING BID
$55
INCLUDES
One 1.5-Liter Bottle
DONOR
Morgan Winery
Salinas, California
This small, family-owned and European-styled winery will surely astound you with their lovely handcrafted reds. As noted by the winemakers themselves, “When our liquid pleasure dances on your tongue, you will taste mountains, sun, and frosty cheeks.” The grapes used by Frenchman’s Gulch Winery come from some of the best vineyards in the country to the breathtaking valleys of Idaho. With a style uniquely focused on balance and silky tannins, the winery utilizes a minimalist approach in the high-altitude environment of Sun Valley. Avoiding mass production techniques, the winemakers can offer intimate knowledge of every barrel produced. Tonight, this collection of four astounding Magnums is up for grabs—the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, a Tri-Cities Wine Festival and Seattle Wine Awards silver medalist, and the 2007 Syrah, a Tri-Cities Wine Festival gold medalist and winner of a silver medal at the Seattle Wine Awards. Don’t let these beauties slip away!
OPENING BID
$170
INCLUDES
Four 1.5-Liter Bottles
DONOR
Frenchman’s Gulch Winery
Ketchum, Idaho
Ambassador Wines of Washington was founded on the simple belief that no other experience is quite as enchanting as drinking wine. They know that something magical happens when you drink wine with friends; good wine becomes great wine and good friends become better friends. Tonight, bring home an Imperial that you will want to share with your friends—the 2011 Estate Plenipotentiary Cabernet Sauvignon, winner of the Double Gold at this year’s Seattle Wine Awards and a wine that is sure to astound and impress.
OPENING BID
$450
INCLUDES
One 6-Liter Bottle
DONOR
Ambassador Vineyard
Benton City, Washington
Situated in the picturesque Amador Country of Northern California, Renwood Winery is surrounded by the rolling hills and rushing streams of California’s gold country. Renwood was established in 1993 and is today one of the most respected wine producers in the Sierra Foothills, specializing in Zinfandel made from old, dry-farmed vines. Renwood wines have enjoyed consistently high ratings by some of the most respected critics in the world, reflecting the skills of their winemakers and devotion to the craft of winemaking. Renwood has long been renowned for its robust, richly flavored Zinfandels.
In keeping with the winery’s belief that wine should not be saved merely for special occasions, but enjoyed often and in the company of friends, bring home this Double Magnum of 2010 Renwood Premier Old Vine Zinfandel tonight to enjoy with your own tribe of wine lovers. On the palate this wine is intense, dark and full of dark fruit flavors. Overall, this dusty and bold Zin offers ample flavor.
OPENING BID
$225
INCLUDES
One 3-Liter Bottle
DONOR
Renwood Winery
Plymouth, California