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WINE COUNTRY THIS WEEKWhat Do The Boys' Team, Ladies' Night and Walking Egyptians Have in Common?Napa Valley Vintners’ 30th Annual Auction Napa ValleyIt’s time to get the parties started in Napa Valley as the Napa ValleyVintners celebrates its 30th anniversary Auction Napa Valley. While itis always the consummate wine and food lovers' event of the year, forthis milestone the vintners have pulled out all the stops, from start tofinish, to create a magical, high-energy fete.The centerpiece of the fundraising charity weekend is the LiveAuction being held on Saturday, June 5, at Meadowood Napa Valley.“This truly will be the must-attend event of the year in Napa Valley,”said event Honorary Chair Beth Novak Milliken of Spottswoode EstateVineyard & Winery. “We have assembled an incredible crew of culinarystars – 17 of them in all – 11 men and six women from toprestaurants around the country. I know I’m looking forward to theAuction!”With the playful theme of “The Boys are Back in Town” and thattune humming in one’s ear, four-day package holders will stroll ontothe forest-surrounded greens at Meadowood to find 11 of the country’stop gentlemen chefs who will start the day presenting a walk-aroundal fresco lunch. The men’s team hails from New York, Chicago, LosAngeles, San Francisco, Birmingham and Napa Valley:• Octavio Becerra, Palate, Los Angeles• Jean Joho, Everest, Chicago• Thomas Keller, The French Laundry, Napa Valley• Christopher Kostow, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa Valley• Lars Kronmark CIA Greystone, Napa Valley• Paul LeMieux Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley• Walter Manzke, formerly of Church and State, Los Angeles• Michael Mina, Michael Mina, San Francisco• Richard Reddington, Redd, Napa Valley• Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar and Grill, Birmingham, AL• Michael Tusk, Quince, San FranciscoThen, the auction begins and the action gets lively as bidders vie for41 incredible lots of rare wine, wine collections, travel and vintnerhostedexcursions, the proceeds of which will raise funds for healthcare,youth services and affordable housing non-profit programs.And then it’s Ladies’ Night! “We have put together an amazingevening, where six exceptional female chefs will come out to keep theparty going as this all-star culinary team creates supper on the lawn.This will be a dinner and an evening to remember,” said NovakMilliken. The lineup for this meal under the stars includes:• Gina DePalma of Babbo, New York City• Suzanne Goin of Lucques, Los Angeles• Carrie Nahabedian of Naha, Chicago• Melissa Perello of Frances, San Francisco• Elizabeth Prueitt of Tartine, San Francisco• Suzanne Tracht of Jar, Los Angeles“It is truly incredible that these 17 culinary super-stars have partneredwith us to make this 30-year celebration so spectacular,” said Saturday’sCulinary Chair Sue Cross of Cross Cellars. “We are thrilled to have thesechefs provide their time and their talent to be part of the fundraising –this is the spirit that makes this auction such a great event.”28The Live Auction lot exhibition featured 42 mega-lots to be auctioned off onSaturday evening of last year’s event.Ladies’ Night will pump it up one more time with a performanceby the renowned all-girl-band The Bangles. “Who doesn’t get excitedwith songs like ‘Walk Like an Egyptian,’ or ‘Manic Monday’ and whatbetter way to cap the celebration of the 30th Auction Napa Valley –this is going to be a great party, and it’s for great charities that reallyrely on this fundraiser,” said Entertainment Chair Jeff Smith of HourglassWinery.The Auction’s culinary savvy is also shown at the Taste Napa ValleyFriday Festival being held this year at Rubicon Estate. Here, 60 localrestaurateurs and artisanal food purveyors will partner with nearly 100wineries at the al fresco Marketplace. Inside the caves, another 100wineries will offer barrel samples pulled right from the wooden barrelin the always-rousing barrel tasting and auction. Together with privatedinner parties at winery owners’ homes on Thursday and Fridayevenings, the four-day package attendees will enjoy the quintessentialwine and culinary experience of the year – all while raising funds forcharity.About Auction Napa ValleyAuction Napa Valley is the most successful charity wine auction inthe world and to date has given $90 million to scores of non-profitprograms. The annual fundraiser is hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners,the non-profit trade association representing nearly 400 wineriesin the renowned Napa Valley. The auction was founded in 1981 underthe vision of Robert and Margrit Mondavi and has grown to be a fourdaycelebration of wine, food and fundraising held the first weekendin June.About Napa Valley VintnersThe Napa Valley Vintners is the non-profit trade association responsiblefor promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as thepremier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944,today the association represents nearly 400 Napa Valley wineries andcollectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn moreabout this region and its legendary American wines, visitwww.napavintners.com.www.WineCountryThisWeek.comTinacci