The Grapevine
April 2015 DCWAF Newsletter 
A Note from Our President:

 

In late March of 2013 I wrote the following for our April newsletter:

 

"Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation recently received news we have waited for since 2006. Wine Spectator Magazine listed our 2012 auction as one of the Top Ten Charity Wine Auctions in the United States. Our live auction sales at $894,630 earned us the last spot of the top ten. I think I can speak for many when I say that now that we are in the top ten we are not going to come off this list! In fact, now that we have made the top ten, our goal is to make the top five. To reach that goal we will need to exceed $1,250,000 in live auction sales in 2013. I know we have the potential to do to this well and even more."

 

As you most likely know by now we did break the top five in 2014, coming in at number four, just $20,000 ahead of fifth place!

 

Thanks to a very committed Board of Directors, great work by our charity partners and the generosity of our supportive vintners and chefs we will, once again, offer a stellar line up of auction lots to our patrons at this year's auction. 

 

If you are among the fortunate 550 or so people attending the auction, we urge you to bid often and bid high. Not so we can again make Wine Spectator's Top Ten, although we certainly hope to do so. The true reason we all work so hard and spend so generously is because the children we support have so many needs.

 

You should have received your catalog in the mail by now, and it is on our website. Many auction items are for four, six or even ten people. Assemble your teams, plan your strategy and come prepared to push our live auction to a new high this April. And remember, it really is all about the kids.

 

- John Russell

President

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation

  STILL A FEW SEATS LEFT  
 Email info@dcwaf.org to purchase your package to the 10th Annual Auction,  benefiting our 14 Northwest Florida Children's Charities. 

Packages include 2 tickets to the following:
Patron Dinner - Friday, April 24th (View Pairings)
Reserve Tasting & Silent Auction - Saturday, April 25th, 1pm
Live Auction - Saturday, April 25th, 3pm
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE! WITH A FEW NEW UPDATES, IT IS NOW MOBILE & TABLET FRIENDLY!
The Northwest Florida Beaches Ultimate Wine Weekend is 2 weeks away. The South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival, April 23rd-26th, also benefits Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation.  Get Tickets Here

 VIEW THE FULL 2015 AUCTION CATALOG
JUST IN.....
Check out the new auction lot that was just added to the line-up!
"Don't float the mainstream with SweetWater Brewery"
The SweetWater Experience
The SweetWater Experience

For all you fish out of water, we have another fishing trip for you, but this one includes a once in a lifetime experience with SweetWater Brewery and their Brewing Team. How does brewing your own cask at the brewery in Atlanta, tailgating, then going to the Atlanta Braves game sound? How about a 5 course beer dinner at the brewery, VIP style? When you return to Destin, your cask of beer will be waiting for you as you enjoy a full day of fishing with the brewing team on a charter stocked with SweetWater's heady brews. Host your own beer fest with your personally brewed one-off cask and your friends. Fry up that fresh catch and enjoy the company of the SweetWater Crew. 

10 Secrets for Auction Success
  1. Choose your patron dinner
  2. Check out the catalog
  3. Start your planning party now
  4. Create a bidding strategy
  5. Listen closely to the mission moment
  6. Don't miss the hangover station
  7. Keep an eye on silent auction lots
  8. Meet the vintners
  9. Check out live artist installations & local restaurants
  10. Bid High, Bid Often
________ De La Vigne_________

What We Are Drinking Now:

We are popping the top on some bubbles right about now. We are celebrating our # 4 ranking in the Wine Spectator Top 10 US Charity Wine Auctions of 2014. JCB No. 69 is a  rosé brut based exclusively  on pinot noir. Dry and crisp, this mouthful of bubbles is 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy. Attending our 10th Annual Auction as well as the South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival is Jean-Charles Boisset, and we will all get to experience the magnetic energy, passion, and innovation that he brings to every room he enters. The Boisset Collection unites the old and new world's of wine with its Franco-American spirit and wineries on two continents. It is now one of the world's leading family-owned luxury fine wine companies. 

  Cheers Everyone!
What's Cookin':


Also attending the Northwest Florida Beaches Ultimate Wine Weekend is the  Director of Cuisine & Hospitality for Boisset Family Estates, Michel Cornu. He creates menus and oversees all fine dining experiences for Raymond Vineyards, DeLoach and Buena Vista. Chef Michel's panache for hospitality delights each guest, and his talent in the kitchen leaves a delicious and memorable experience. His goal is to create beautiful food with expressive taste and flavor while using seasonal ingredients. The  patron dinner graciously hosted by Cathy and Don Hay on April 24th will feature his delectable dishes paired with Boisset's notable portfolio. 

YOU SHOP. 
AMAZON GIVES.
Mother's Day is less than one month away. Consider using smile.amazon.com and select Destin Charity Wine Auction as your charitable organization.  Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile 
purchases to DCWAF.

A BIG Thank You to all of our Sponsors:

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