Nashville Wine Auction Pairings Hits the Jackpot

Guests went all in for the 13th annual Nashville Wine Auction event Pairings. Loews Vanderbilt Hotel was the lucky spot for the casino-themed evening. In place of dealers and pit bosses, the ballroom showcased beautiful silent auction lots. While there were no card tables in sight, plenty of green moved through the room — all to support the Nashville Wine Auction’s mission to unite the wine community to fight cancer.

Co-chairs Amy and Brannan Atkinson and Pam and Steve Taylor planned a magical evening, complete with a tasting reception of rare, sought-after California wines. While guests mingled and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres by host chef Sean Strolle of Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, many perused — and bid on — the fantastic silent auction items. This year, the silent auction featured 200 items — everything from trips and tastings to lots of wine. Showstoppers included a “super special” lot of California cabernet, a Pairings From the Heart lot by Holly Whaley (made up of “mostly bubbles and white Burgs”) and of course, the famous Women Who Wine luncheon, as well as the Seventh Taylor Open Cellar dinner.

The excitement continued as guests took their seats for dinner. Chef Robbie Wilson, of soon-to-open spots SuperNormal and Lion’s Share, designed a menu to pair with wines from DuMOL Winery, Donelan Family Wines, Résonance Wines, The Setting Wines and L’Aventure Winery. After opening remarks, everyone got down to business as auctioneer Charles Antin opened bidding for the night. 

Throughout the live auction, competition was fierce, with the crowd meeting — then exceeding — revenue milestones. Holly, former president of the Nashville Wine Auction, shared why the organization’s mission matters so much to her. “I lost my mother to breast cancer. I lost my aunt to breast cancer. I worked for 10 years to raise money to fight cancer,” she said. “Then after I retired from the Wine Auction, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.” Today, she and her sister Vicki Horne have outlived four generations of women who have fought breast cancer. Holly’s ask to the almost-silent room was simple: Please raise a paddle to fund the fight against cancer.