You are cordially invited to the most extraordinary wine event in the world...

Auction Napa Valley has come and gone but I couldn't resist highlighting the decadent wine filled weekend that raised $8 Million for charity! My mom and I attended Saturday’s iconic Live Auction Day at Meadowood Resort where we hosted a table, poured Ceja Vineyards wines & participated in one of the live auction lots.

The over-the-top live auction was held in a huge white tent where, for more than three hours, 800 bidders, vintners and media socialized, cheered and chose to bid on more than 40 extravagant live auction lots. Why should you bid? Since its inception in 1981, Auction Napa Valley has given more than $100 million to dozens of Napa County health, youth development and affordable housing non-profits – pretty awesome!

Top Three Live-Auction Lots

1. Chappellet: $720,000

A 12-day African safari for four, dinner for 10 at the winery and four large-format bottles. Winning bid was $360,000, paid by two separate bidders.

2. Chappellet, Chateau Montelena, Gargiulo, Raymond, Shafer and Silver Oak: $460,000

A private concert for 28 people with Lady Antebellum, two-night trip to London and six large-format bottles.

3. Antica Napa Valley and Dalla Valle: $300,000

Three-night excursion in Napa for four, 10-night trip to Tuscany for four and 16 large-format bottles {Yay Maya!}.

If that still doesn’t quite do it for you, the food just might. Famed chef, Thomas Keller kicked off lunch with Ad Hoc’s fried chicken and Gotts Road House stand served over 700 burgers during the live auction. Emeril Lagasse hosted a sunset dinner on the lawn that included salmon crudo and roasted Colorado lamb rack accompanied with more than 200 Magnums of wine to pair. Doesn’t get much better than that! Ole!