FORIMMEDIATERELEASE:

DestinCharityWineAuctionFoundationAnnouncesMarchesiAntinoriasits2017InternationalHonoraryVintnerandDeLilleCellarsasits2017DomesticHonoraryVintner

CelebratedwinemakersfromaroundtheglobewillconvergeinSouthWaltonfor

theultimatewineweekend,April28–April30

DESTIN,Fla.-(Feb.2,2017)–DestinCharityWineAuctionFoundation(DCWAF)announcesitsannualhonoraryvintnersforthe2017wineauctionweekend,hostedApril28–30.TheauctionkicksoffFridayeveningwith14patrondinnershostedinsomeoftheEmeraldCoast’smostbeautifulhomesandrestaurants.TheauctionandreservewinetastingtakeplaceonGrandBoulevard’sNorthLawnbeginningat1:00p.m.onSaturdayinconjunctionwiththeSouthWaltonBeachesWineandFoodFestival.GuestswhopurchasepatronpackagesalsoreceiveaSundaytickettothefestival,creatingaone-of-a-kindwineweekendexperienceforeachguest.“Eachyearourfoundationreviewsthevintnersthathavebeeninstrumentalinoursuccesssinceourinception,”saidJohnRussell,presidentofDCWAF.“Thesevintners’beliefinusinourearlyyearscreatedalevelofcredibilitythatallowedustoattractotherqualitywinemakersandparticipants.Throughtheirsupport,ourauctionhasgrownandachievedincrediblesuccess,whichhasallowedustodonatemorethan$13millionover11yearsandimpactedthelivesofmorethan75,000youthinNorthwestFlorida."DCWAFnamesDeLilleCellarsthe2017HonoraryDomesticVintnerforthe12thAnnualAuction.AcceptingtheawardwillbewineryownersGregandStacyLill.“DeLilleCellarsishonoredtobeselectedVintneroftheYearforthe2017DestinCharityWineAuction.Wehavebeenapartoftheauctionformanyyears,bothtosupportthisamazingcauseandtospreadthewordaboutWashingtonStatewine,”saidDeLilleCellarsownerGregLill.“StacyandIhavegainedlifelongfriendsthroughthisevent,andwehaveenjoyedwatchingitgrowintooneofthetopwineauctionsinthenation.2017isalsoDeLilleCellars’25thanniversary,andweareexcitedtocelebratethesegreatachievementswitheveryoneinDestinthisApril.”Intandem,DCWAFannouncesMarchesiAntinoriasthisyear’sInternationalHonoraryVintner.AcceptingtheawardfortheItalianwinerywillbeErikSaccomani,AntinoriStateManager,andGlennSalva,WineEstateManagerforAntinori’sCaliforniavineyard,AnticaNapaValley.Listedamongthe"TopTenWineAuctionsintheU.S."byWineSpectatorMagazine,theDestinCharityWineAuctionconnectswineenthusiastswithpreeminentwinemakerstohelpchildreninneedinNorthwestFlorida.“We’rethrilledtobenamedDestinCharityWineAuctionFoundation’sInternationalVintneroftheYear,”MarchesiAntinoriStateManager,ErikSaccomanisaid.“Participatinginaneventofthismagnitudethatraisesfundsforchildreninneedisalwaysanhonor.”PatronPackagestothe12thAnnualDestinCharityWineAuctionweekendareonsalenowatwww.DCWAF.org.PackagepricesincreaseMarch1.DeLilleCellars–DomesticHonoraryVintnerGregcantracehisrootsbackto12thcenturyEuropehailingfromafamilyoriginatingfromthewalledtownofLille,Francehencetheirancestralname“DeLille”fromwhichthewineryisnamed.Celebratingits20thAnniversaryin2012,DeLilleCellarshasbeenontheforefrontofblazingthewine-trailinWashington.BeingthethirdwinerystartedinWoodinville,WAitiscomposedofthreelabels,DeLilleCellars–Bordeauxstylewines,Doyenne–Rhonestyle,andGrandCeil–terroirfocusedwinesfromthewinery’sRedMountainAVAvineyard.RobertParkerJr.ofthe“WineAdvocate”ratedDeLilleCellarsandDoyenneastwoofthetoptwelveproducers,bestowingthetitleofthe“LafiteRothschildofWashingtonState.”DeLillehasbeenrated92pointsorhigherforover20consecutiveyears.TheInstituteoftheMastersofWineinLondon,EnglandhonoredDeLilleCellarswiththe“CertificateofExcellence”award,theonlywineryfromthenorthwesttoreceivethishonor.For

almosttwodecadesDeLilleCellarsChaleurEstateRougewasawardedscoresof91-96pointsandaplatinummedalfromWineEnthusiast.DeLilleCellarsistheonlywineryintheworldtobelistedinthetop100winesoftheworld,twoyearsinarow,bytheWineEnthusiastandWineSpectatorMagazine.In2008,DeLilleCellarssettherecordforthehighestpricepaidforalotofWashingtonStatewineatauction($70,000).MarchesiAntinori–InternationalHonoraryVintnerTheAntinoriFamilyhasbeenmakingwineforoversixhundredyears.Throughoutitslonghistory,spanning26generations,thefamilyhasalwayspersonallymanagedthebusinessfromtheirofficesinFlorence.MarchesePieroAntinoriisPresidentofthecompanyandisassistedbyhisthreedaughters,Albiera,AllegraandAlessia.TheAntinoriFamilyreputationhasgrownthroughoutthecenturiesbymakinginnovative,sometimescourageouschoices,alwayswithunwaveringrespectfortraditionandtheland.BorninFebruary1981,ErikwasraisedinthecityofVerona,Italy.Erikgraduatedfromhospitalityschoolin2000,andhassinceforgedhispassionforwineandfoodbyworkinginseveralrecognizedrestaurantsinItalyandalsointheUSasasommelierandbeveragedirector.Today,ErikoverseetheFloridamarketforMarchesiAntinoriwithresponsibilitiesspanningacrosssoutheasternUnitedStates.GlennC.Salvaisresponsibleforallwine-growingactivitiesforAnticaNapaValley,theAntinoriFamily’sNapaValley,Californiawineestate.GlennassumedtheroleofWineEstateManagerinDecember2002.Inadditiontothefamily’straditionalheritageofestatesinTuscanyandUmbria,investmentshavebeenmadeovertimeinotherareashighlysuitedtoqualitywineproductioninaquesttopromotenewterroirs,richinwine-growingpotential.PieroAntinorimadehisfirstvisittoNapaValleyin1966andknewfromhisveryfirstvisitthatsomedaytheopportunitywouldallowforhisfamilytohaveawineestateinthiscelebratedregion.In1985,theAntinoriFamilypurchasedabeautifulestateintheNapaValley,anareawell-knownforitsfineredwineproduction.TheestateissituatedontheeasternmountainsofNapaValleyatanaltitudeof1400to1800feetabovesealevel.TheAntinoriFamilywasattractedtothisspectacularpropertylocatedonthehighplateaubecauseofitswinegrowingpotential;itsrockysoils,highelevationsandbeautifullandscape.Thehillyterrainisaboveallidealwine-growingcountry.ThewineestateislocatedabovetheeastoftheStagsLeapDistrictofNapaValley.Today,thereare600acresofvineyardplantedonthestate,alongwiththeestatewineryandextensivenetworkofcavesusedforbarrelaging.In2006theestatewasnamedAnticaNapaValley,withaperfectlyharmoniousblendofTuscanandCalifornianstylesinitsDNA.“Antica”isasymbolforAntinoriCaliforniaandrepresentstherealizationofalong-standingdesireandisalsoamilestoneintheproductionofgreatAntinoriFamilywinesintheNapaValley.TolearnmoreabouttheDestinCharityWineAuctionFoundationandtheultimatewineweekendinSouthWalton,visitwww.dcwaf.org.

###AboutDestinCharityWineAuctionFoundationDestinCharityWineAuctionFoundation’s(DCWAF)missionistoconnectwineenthusiaststoraisemoneytobenefitchildreninneedinNorthwestFlorida.Foundedin2005,DestinCharityWineAuctionFoundationhasdonatedmorethan$10milliontoNorthwestFloridacharitiesthroughhostingworldclasswineandculinaryevents.Thesignatureevent,theDestinCharityWineAuction,isheldinSouthWaltonwithinGrandBoulevardatSandestinthelastweekendofAprileachyear.Thesefundshaveimpactedthelivesofover60,000youth,includingthoseafflictedbyhealthissuesandabuse.DCWAFisrecognizedasoneofthenation’s‘Top10CharityWineAuctionsintheU.S.’byWineSpectatorMagazine.LearnmoreatDCWAF.orgorfacebook.com/DCWAF.Contact:KateMikosCommunicationsManager|DestinCharityWineAuctionFoundationP:850.650.3732E:kate@dcwaf.org