2 Napa wineries are auctioning their prized vintages to support sustainable winegrowing

The auction will include all 40 vintages ever produced of Spottswoode Winery’s estate Cabernet Sauvignon and a 19-magnum lot of Opus One Winery’s singular Bordeaux-style blend.

Two Napa Valley wineries are expected to draw plenty of attention next month when famed auction house Christie’s opens bidding on a sale of rare and fine wines.

The auction will feature comprehensive collections of renowned vintages from the wineries, with proceeds benefiting Napa Green, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing sustainability and climate action in the local wine industry.

The auction, which will take place online Sept. 4-18, will include a rare lot of Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery’s Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, encompassing all 40 vintages ever produced – from 1982 to 2021 – from the St. Helena winery.

Additionally, Oakville’s Opus One Winery is offering a unique 19-magnum lot of its singular Bordeaux-style blend, including vintages from 2001 to 2019.

Both lots are expected to fetch tens of thousands of dollars each, with all proceeds being donated to Napa Green.

“It’s pretty incredible,” said Anna Brittain, executive director of Napa Green. “I mean, 40 vintages of Spottswoode wine; I don’t know when we’ll see that again.”

Brittain also called the Opus One lot “unprecedented,” emphasizing the rarity of the collection.

“It’s hard to even fathom all those wines available,” she said.

Spottswoode, which released its 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon last year, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its iconic wine, according to president and CEO Beth Novak.

“We make wines that authentically represent both time and place, so each vintage literally is an expression of that,” she said. “Each vintage has a story.”

Some of the early vintages from the Novak family’s personal collection are particularly rare, she added.

“(There’s) maybe 18 bottles left of the ‘82 in our cellar, and I can’t imagine that there’s much more out there in the marketplace,” she said.

Both Spottswoode and Opus One are longtime members of Napa Green, which certifies vineyards and wineries for their sustainability practices. Their support of the organization comes at a crucial time, as the nonprofit has faced cuts in federal funding.

“We lost a significant federal grant several months ago,” Brittain said. “So we are grateful to have the proceeds from these lots supporting our work, because as with many nonprofits, we’re walking a tightrope right now.”

The grant, aimed at expanding markets for climate-smart commodities, was canceled by the Trump administration in April.

For Novak, Napa Green’s work to support better stewardship of Napa County’s vineyards and land is especially important, given the rising frequency of “extreme weather events.”

“This is an agriculturally based business, we live and die by what mother nature gives us,” she said. “For us, it’s all about building resilience into the system.”

“We want to have an incredibly healthy ecosystem and we need to do all we can to protect our ability to grow the finest wine grapes in this amazing place.”

Opus One winemaker Michael Silacci echoed this sentiment in an email to The Press Democrat Friday .

“Anna Brittain and her team at Napa Green take a spherical approach to preserving and protecting both the vineyards and the people of Napa Valley,” Silacci wrote. “Their foundational pillars are exceptionally strong and broad. Yet, in the face of funding challenges and limited resources, I felt compelled to put my magnums where my mind is – to support their invaluable work.”

For details on the Christie’s auction, go to pdne.ws/47R2jil.