Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1037369
34 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 AT THE END of the Auction of Washing- ton Wines' fourth annual Private Barrel Auction at Novelty Hill-Januik Winery in Woodinville, 32 ve-case lots of one-of-a- kind Washington bottlings had been sold to licensed members of the wine trade for a record-setting $251,500. Exceeding last year's total by 83 per - cent, the proceeds will directly benet Washington State University's Viticulture and Enology depar tment. During its four- year tenure, the Private Barrel Auction has raised nearly $521,000 for the program, which helps suppor t research projects and education at WSU's Wine Science Center in Richland. Through this fund - ing, the auction helps grape-growers and winemakers gain the knowledge and skills necessary to produce high-quality wines. The Private Barrel Auction is sponsored by the Auction of Washington Wines, a nonprot organization focused on elevating awareness of Washington State wine. This year's auction saw a 55 percent increase in winery participation from 2017, as well as a 50 percent jump in attendance by registered bidders. "The quality of all the Washington wines we tasted were excep - tional and the hospitality we were shown was top-notch. We will denitely be back," said rst-time auction attendee and Capers Café co-owner Christian Joly, who attended with his wife, son, and daughter-in-law. The average price paid per lot at the auction was $7,629—up 13 percent from the prior year—with an average bottle price of $127. All lots were sold in ve-case (60-bottle) allotments, keep - ing the exclusivity of ownership high. "At one point my spotter handed me a bottle and said he was so excited because the winemaker of the lot I had just won was his friend and past student," said Cristina Pearce, a buyer for Total Wine & More. "That's what made the energy in the room so great: the camaraderie and history. This auction will help to make sure we continue to build that in Washington and beyond." Winning bids ranged from $3,000 to $16,000. The top five auction lots were: • Lot 7: Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sau - vignon, Holy Roller Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $16,000 • Lot 30: DeLille Cellars Old Block Cabernet Sauvignon, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain, $16,000 • Lot 22: Cadence Old Vine Cabernet Franc, Tapteil Vineyard, Red Mountain, $13,000 • Lot 20: Woodward Canyon Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Cham - poux and Woodward Canyon estate vineyards, Washington State, $11,000 • Lot 32: Rotie Cellars Tannat, River Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $10,000 The winning bidders of the top lots were: • Cristina Pearce, Total Wine and More, Bethesda, MD • Christian and Annette Joly, Capers Café, Portland, OR • Andreas and Kimberly Joly, Capers Café, Portland, OR • Lisa Severn and Tommy Thompson, Tulalip Resort Casino, Marysville, WA —Information courtesy of the Auction of Washington Wines The 2019 Auction of Washington Wines Private Barrel Auction will be held August 15, 2019. Attendees are licensed wine sellers, including retailers, restaurateurs, and whole - salers. For more information, visit auctionofwawines.org/trade. Registration opens January 2. Ursula Hermacinski served as the auctioneer for the fourth annual Private Barrel Auction, held at Novelty Hill-Januik Winery in Woodinville, WA. PHOTO: CHARLES KOH { auctions } Smashing Records THE AUCTION OF WASHINGTON WINES' FOURTH ANNUAL PRIVATE BARREL AUCTION BENEFITS WINE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AT WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY Andreas Joly (center) bids at the Auction of Washington Wines' fourth annual Private Barrel Auction. PHOTO: RICHARD DUVAL