2025 Auction Lots

6 – 3 Liter Cliff Lede “Poetry” Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District, signed (2 each: 2008, 2009 and 2010)

Ten (10) enchanting nights in Paris plus a three (3) night luxury retreat in Napa Valley for two (2) couples

Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from any major city in the contiguous United States to Paris, France
VIP Meet and Greet, roundtrip airport services with customs assistance in Paris
Roundtrip, airport transfers in Paris

Paris, France:
Ten (10) nights’ accommodations at Cliff Lede’s two (2) bedroom Paris apartment located in the heart of Paris in the 7th arrondissement, near the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre
Six (6) bottles of Rare Champagne stocked in the apartment

Napa, California:
Three (3) nights’ accommodations in Suites at Poetry Inn Napa Valley
Private tour and tasting at Cliff Lede Vineyards
One (1) private dinner hosted by Cliff Lede at his Yountville residence and served with wines
One (1) dinner at La Toque with a chef’s tasting menu paired with Cliff Lede wines
Multi-course breakfast prepared by Chef Lynn Vita included daily

You may have been to Paris many times, but have you ever lived like a Parisian rather than a tourist? This unique lot will give two couples the opportunity to do exactly that. For 10 unforgettable nights, you will be honorary citizens of the City of Light.

Your home in Paris will be the two-bedroom apartment of vintner Cliff Lede, located in the 7th arrondissement, headquarters of the highest nobility of France since the 17th century. Situated on the Left Bank of the River Seine, the area houses landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, National Assembly, the public greenspace of the Champ de Mars and the aristocratic neighborhood of Faubourg Saint-German—not to mention the Impressionist masterpieces of the Musée d’Orsay and the towering sculptures of the Musée Rodin.

When you’re not seeing the sights, begin your day like a local with a croissant and café au lait in the neighborhood café. Visit the boulangerie and pick up a baguette. Spend some time at a traiteur assembling the ingredients for a picnic lunch: pâté, charcuterie, composed salads, mineral water and wine. And don’t forget the patisserie for some of the most decadent desserts you’ve ever had.

At the hour of the apéritif, reach for one of the bottles of Rare Champagne stocked in your apartment. Rare Champagne is the ultimate luxury cuvée of Piper-Heidsieck, produced from the finest grapes in the best years, with only 11 vintages released since 1971. You’ll discover why Piper-Heidsieck became Marie Antoinette’s favorite Champagne in 1785, and why it has delighted generations of connoisseurs ever since.

When it comes to restaurants, the 7th arrondissement is an embarrassment of riches with 14 Michelin-starred restaurants walking distance from your Parisian pied-à-terre. There are also countless traditional bistros and international restaurants—enough to satisfy any discerning palate.

As amazing as your Paris sojourn has been, the masterpieces in Napa Valley are awaiting your arrival. Here you’ll experience the wines of Cliff Lede—and the vintner himself—at close range. Cliff Lede Vineyards was established in 2002 on 60 acres in the Stags Leap District. Since founding his namesake winery, Lede has led the successful combination of estate vineyards, winemaking, art and architecture into one of Napa Valley’s most modern and diversified estates. It is now one of the region’s icons, due to the wine produced on this exceptional site: Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon.

Your party will stay at Napa Valley’s most exclusive, private and intimate luxury hotel, Poetry Inn Napa Valley. The property is located just outside of the town of Yountville and features expansive suites with woodburning fireplaces, soaking tubs, indoor/outdoor showers and breathtaking views of Napa Valley. Indulge in a multicourse breakfast on the terrace in the morning and ask the concierge to help you plan your winery and restaurant visits during the day. After a VIP tour and tasting at nearby Cliff Lede Vineyards, Cliff Lede himself will host you for dinner at his personal residence.

You’ll also indulge in a tasting menu at La Toque, a Napa classic originally founded in 1979 in Los Angeles by Chef Ken Frank, an early pioneer of seasonally driven fine dining. The Chef’s Tasting is La Toque’s crown jewel, a prix-fixe menu that invites you to experience Napa Valley at its best featuring ever-changing courses inspired by the seasonal richness of the land, sea and sky. A curated selection of Cliff Lede wines will accompany the meal.

For their home cellar, each couple will receive a vertical collection of “Poetry” Cabernet Sauvignon from vintages 2008 through 2010, in Three Liter format. This concentrated blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec displays exceptional purity, a layered midpalate and tremendous length; Robert Parker called it “the quintessential marriage of power and finesse.”

Your memories of being an honorary Parisian and getting full access to Cliff Lede Vineyards will only be enhanced by the knowledge that you’ve extended a helping hand to our neediest children.

Insider's Info

This lot is for two (2) couples. Airfare and airport transfers are included in Paris. Airfare and airport transfers are not included for the California portion of the lot. All additional ground transportation is not included. Blackout dates in Paris include the months of May and June 2025. All ten (10) days at the Paris apartment must be taken consecutively. Both the Paris and Napa trips must be planned for mutually agreeable dates, based on availability and for two separate times. Accommodations at Poetry Inn are subject to availability upon booking. The tour and tasting at Cliff Lede Vineyards will be hosted by a senior wine educator. Blackout dates at La Toque include holidays and special events. Dinner at La Toque includes tax and gratuities. Meals and wine are only included as stated above. Any additional meals, alcoholic beverages and gratuities and all non-alcoholic beverages are not included.

Donor

Cliff Lede, Cliff Lede Vineyards, La Toque and Poetry Inn Napa Valley