Auction Napa Valley Raises $6.5 Million for Local Youth

By the time the final gavel fell at the 45th edition of Auction Napa Valley, the event had raised $6.5 million for Napa nonprofits that support after-school and summer programs for children. It was a dramatic finish to a weekend of celebration involving dinners with vintners, tastings of yet-to-be-released wines and bidding on unique bottles and lavish travel experiences.

- BY CHRIS CARDOSO PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEVEN CHESTER COOLEY

“The results this year were just amazing,” stated Alpha Omega Winery owner Robin Baggett, who served alongside his wife, Michelle, as 2025 honorary event chair. “There was a lot of love for our Napa Valley youth, for our wines and for the auction lot experiences we will be sharing.”

Organized by Napa Valley Vintners, Auction Napa Valley has raised a total of $230 million for Napa County community services since 1981. “I love the level of involvement and having the industry come together,” said longtime winegrower Lee Hudson of Hudson Vineyards.

Following the pandemic, Napa Valley Vintners experimented with the format of its big annual event, but in 2024, it brought back the original and highly successful auction weekend formula, including intimate vintner dinners, held this year on June 5, and an impressive barrel auction on June 6, followed by the live auction gala on June 7.