On Friday, March 19, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., the Modern Art Council of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) will host Wine Auction 2004, its first fundraising wine auction. Co-organized with Bonhams & Butterfields, Wine Auction 2004 starts the SFMOMA auction season with the Pop! of a cork.
Wine Auction 2004 will comprise both a live and silent auction and will feature a wide array of rare and unique vintages, specially designed artist-label bottles, and exciting travel packages. The bidding starts with the silent auction at Bonhams & Butterfields, where individual wine lots will be available for preview, and continues at Bonhams & Butterfields’s quarterly wine auction the next day. (The highest bids from the silent auction on March 19 will be entered as bids in the live auction on March 20.)
Four wine-related luxury vignettes will be featured at the live auction, each tailor-made by top Bay Area designers including Robert Fountain Designs, Victoria Thorne Design, TMG & Associates, and Jackson Family Farms. The vignettes include private trips and tastings to premier wine country venues such as Calistoga’s Cottage Grove Inn, Hotel Healdsburg, and Meadowwood Napa Resort, as well as exclusive offerings such as a hot air balloon ride, opera on the lawn at Meadowwood, a private tasting dinner at Charlie Palmer’s kitchen, and a cooking demonstration for two at the California Culinary Institute. Wine and other wine-related luxury items are also included.
The Wine Auction 2004 will also feature wine, scotch, and caviar tastings, and the first opportunity to preview some of the artworks that will be offered at the SFMOMA Art Auction 2004, scheduled for May 19, 2004.
Proceeds from Wine Auction 2004 directly benefit the Museum’s efforts to renew its focus on its renowned collection and educational programs. Tickets are $75. (The ticket price may be applied to the SFMOMA Art Auction 2004 Benefactor ticket price of $350). For tickets and information, please call 415.357.4090 or visit www.sfmoma.org.
Sponsors include Bonhams & Butterfields, First Republic Bank, Robert Mondavi Winery, Pacific Growth Equities, The Painter’s Place, and Ship Art International. Media sponsor: San Francisco Magazine.