When the final gavel struck at this year’s Premiere Napa Valley Auction, the mood in the room was celebratory, as attendees felt optimistic about the future of Napa Valley wines thanks to the promise of the 2023 vintage and the support of the people who make up the wine industry. This year’s auction, held on Feb. 22 in the Barrel Room at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, raised $3.3 million in support of the Napa Valley Vintner’s (NVV) mission to promote and protect the valley.
“We’re thrilled with this year’s auction results,” said NVV president and CEO Linda Reiff, in a statement. “The support shown speaks volumes about the dedication of our trade partners and the exceptional quality of the 2023 vintage.”
Premiere Napa Valley kicks off three days prior to the auction, when trade members travel to the valley from around the world to taste wines and network with vintners. It’s a chance to catch up with some of the world’s top winemakers and get a first taste of the latest vintage. Like Burgundy’s Hospices de Beaune, Premiere’s barrel auction is for members of the wine trade, though consumers can source the wines through bidding retailers. The wines sold, which come from primarily the 2023 vintage but also the 2024, are made exclusively for auction, donated by the wineries and go solely to the winning bidder.
This year’s sale offered 194 lots, sold in five-, 10- or 20-case increments. Sixteen lots were collaborations between different wineries or winemakers. The highest price for a lot of red wine was $64,800 for five cases of Simon Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard 2024. The highest white wine bid was $22,000 for five cases of Hudson Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros Trillium 2023. Other high bids went to wines from The Mascot, Quintessa, and a joint lot between Davies, Diamond Creek, Diamond Mountain, Dyer, Lokoya and Wallis Family Estate. Reds from Robert Mondavi Winery and white wines from Schramsberg, Vineyard 7 & 8 and Domaine Chandon also were among the top lots.
Sotheby’s conducted the auction. While 2025 did not set the record for highest total—that was $6 million raised in 2016—the $3.3 million total was 10 percent higher than last year’s sale. The increase was partially due to a higher number of lots offered this year, but also due to the excitement over the 2023 vintage.
The NVV is a nonprofit trade association with 539 vintner members that has promoted Napa wines and the community since 1944. It also hosts the annual Auction Napa Valley each summer. The group has invested $230 million in public healthcare and environmental advocacy efforts since its founding. “[We are] grateful for the continued collaboration with our trade partners and the strong sense of community felt here this week,” said Reiff.
Want to get the latest news on collectible wines and the auction market? Sign up for Wine Spectator‘s free Collecting e-mail newsletter and get a new top-rated wine review, collecting Q&As and more, delivered straight to your inbox every other week!