Paso Wine Fans Go Above and Beyond
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA) has completed the first Paso Robles Wine Country Virtual Auction, which began on Monday, May 10, and concluded on Sunday, May 16. This inaugural online auction supports the PRWCA Foundation, the non-profit organization that gives back through its scholarship program for high school seniors and supports the local community with charitable contributions.
A total of 23 auction lots, as well as donations, raised $72,000 for the PRWCA Foundation. This weeklong auction saw bids quickly come in for some of the anticipated items, which included the Saxum Current Release Portfolio lot as well as the French Family Affair package at Les Petites Canailles, which brings the wine families of Clos Solène, Benom, and L’Aventure to the dinner table. A 3L bottle of PATRIMONY and Estate Experience also generated bidders’ enthusiasm. These top lots received a flurry of bids and achieved the highest totals.
“The popularity of the Paso Robles wine region has been on the rise with wine lovers and critics alike,” said Joel Peterson, Executive Director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. “This acclaim coupled with the newfound ease and familiarity of virtual experiences created a perfect opportunity for this inaugural auction, which supports our local community.”
Over the six days of the auction, 342 bids took place in pursuit of these carefully curated auction lots by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. Collections of wines and unique experiences were collected through generous donations from more than 70 member businesses, including wineries, hotels, transportation providers, restaurateurs, and more.
“This auction’s success was all about the relationships and sense of community shared among the local industry,” said Molly Scott, Chairperson of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Board of Directors and Director of Grower Relations for JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery. “As a wine community, our vintners, growers, and associated businesses live, work, and invest into the local economy, and to raise funds that make their way back to support this community we all live in is exceptionally important. As an organization and board, we are happy with how well this first time out went and with the results netted.”
Auction lots garnering the strongest bids at the inaugural Paso Robles Wine Country Virtual Auction include Saxum Current Release Portfolio, A French Family Affair, The PATRIMONY Estate Experience, Turley Wine Cellars Stay, Sixmilebridge | Denner Vineyards Dinner, VIP Booker Experience, Geneseo Retreat, Best of JUSTIN Library, Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Portfolio, Tour of Paso with its Organic Leaders, Sacramento Kings Game and Dinner with Cordant | Nelle, and the San Francisco getaway and dinner at The Battery with J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.
The inaugural Paso Robles Wine Country Virtual Auction had bidders and buyers from across the United States, upholding the goals of promoting the Paso Robles wine region to a diverse audience. The net results of the auction far surpassed all expectations, confirming how the wine industry can positively enhance the greater community. These funds will augment not only the scholarship program for high school seniors in northern San Luis Obispo County but also help in other community-oriented initiatives.
About The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance is the official trade organization that represents wineries, growers, and businesses in Paso Robles Wine Country. Centrally located between San Francisco and Los Angeles, along California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles Wine Country is California’s third-largest wine region. It encompasses more than 40,000 vineyard acres and 200 wineries. For more information, visit pasowine.com. Facebook – @PasoRoblesWine, Instagram – @Pasowine, #pasowine.
