ENTERTAINING
When Life Gives Janet Trefethen Lemons, She Makes Lemonade...And Preserved Lemons, Lemon Scented Roast Chicken, Lemon Curd...
Text by Linda Murphy
Photography by David Duncan Livingston
When the sour economy this year threatened the success of America' most famous wine charity auction, Auction Napa Valley, Janet Trefethen, chairperson for the June 4-7 event, decided to beef up the hospitality and food elements, adding a bit more shine to an already polished event.
“There are forty two live-auction lots this year,” says Trefethen, proprietor of Trefethen Family Vineyards in Napa. “We realize bidding will be down from the $10.35 million we raised in 2008, so our success will be measured not just by dollars, but by the level of fun people have, and the terrific hospitality and generosity for which Napa vintners are known.”
Such generosity, and that of bidders, has contributed $85 million since the first Napa Valley auction in 1981, with proceeds benefiting local health care, youth services, and affordable housing charities. In addition to a live auction, there is a barrel auction, a “Taste Napa” event featuring bites from local restaurants and sips from one hundred wineries, and intimate parties hosted by vintners in their homes and cellars, giving ticket holders the opportunity to rub elbows with the folks who make the wines.
For more on the 2009 Auction Napa Valley, please pick up a copy of the September/October 2009 issue.
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