How much would you be willing to spend to have John Legend — the nine-time Grammy award, Golden Globe and Oscar-winning musician — sing for you and 29 of your closest friends?
And what if you could have that intimate performance take place at the home of Jean-Charles Boisset, the proprietor of one of Napa Valley’s legendary wine estates, Raymond Vineyards?
And what if Raymond Vineyards Chef Michel Cornu were to prepare a gourmet meal to accompany your private concert?
And what if you got to take home — or share with your friends — six etched, limited-edition, 3-liter bottles of Legend Vineyard Exclusive (LVE) wines — a new collection of wines created by Legend in collaboration with Boisset and Raymond winemaker Stephanie Putnam?
How much would you have been willing to spend for all of that?
Well, if you attended the 2015 edition of Auction Napa Valley, it would have taken $850,000 and 1 cent, because the winning bid turned out to be $850,000.
While that auction lot certainly was enticing, its value may have spiked when Legend himself showed up at the auction and, just before the Raymond lot went up for bid, he sang his hit song, “All of Me.”
“What an amazing experience it was to sing at Auction Napa Valley,” he said afterward. “I’m also so honored and excited to be a part of the Napa Valley community. It was a pleasure to contribute my time and energy toward something so powerful that will help to create a more positive future for the local community.”
All told, the 2015 auction raised $15.8 million for nonprofit organizations focused on community health and children’s education in Napa County.
By the way, the first Legend-made wines are expected to be released to the general public this fall — yes, with all of their “perfect imperfections.”
