The Nashville Wine Auction Is Raising Millions for the Fight Against Cancer

April 30, 2024

Guests raise a paddle to bid on wine at "Pairings."

On a chilly Saturday in February, we made our way to Loews Nashville Hotel at Vanderbilt Plaza for “Pairings: Nashville’s Ultimate Wine and Food Weekend,” put on by the Nashville Wine Auction. Truth be known, we would have preferred to stay home cooking; however, as soon as we entered the lobby, we felt a buzz we wanted to be part of — the love and energy in the reception were palpable. Crisp white tablecloths, gleaming rows of stemmed glasses and pyramids of bottles beckoned with boutique wines from across the nation. Guests sipped between hugs and hellos.

At dinner, six local chefs prepared courses that each highlighted an esteemed vintner. Onstage, vintner after vintner ballyhooed their wine, wineries and history, while auctioneer Charles Antin stoked the bidding among an enthusiastic crowd. Paddles waved in friendly competition to win wine trips, experiences and unique bottles. With every milestone of money raised, guests hooped, hollered and applauded wildly.

The NWA is about more than fancy wine and food. This self-sustaining nonprofit fundraising organization is a powerhouse in the fight against cancer. Bidding was dotted with heartfelt stories of organizations and individuals supported by the NWA, including Gilda’s Club, Make-A-Wish and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Halfway through the night, Kix Brooks, whose sister died of breast cancer in 2014, hopped onstage and sweetened the offer for a dinner dubbed “Progression to Debauchery: The Sequel,” which tripled the bidding and raised $143,500 alone. At the end of the evening, confetti fell as proceeds topped a million dollars.

According to President and CEO Loren Chumley, the NWA is about community. “Wine is about storytelling, the terroir, the grapes, the passion and the folks who drink it.” At the NWA, conversation sparkled around past donations, such as a 1974 magnum from Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and a bottle of whiskey distilled in 1916 during Prohibition. And people will raise their glasses and their paddles for such spirits and stories.

If you are looking to partake in an evening of glamour, generosity, and good cheer, the NWA is for you.