16th Annual Auction presented by the Jumonville Family Raises more than $2 Million

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF), one of the nation’s premier fundraising organizations, hosted its 16thAnnual Auction in a semi-virtual format April 23-24, 2021. DCWAF is pleased to announce that the event raised $2.04 million for children in need in Northwest Florida. The total is a $691,000 increase over the previous year, which was held in a fully virtual format for the first time due to COVID-19. 

“We couldn’t be more grateful for the support of our generous patrons, sponsors, chefs, and vintners that helped to make our 16th annual auction a huge success despite the continued challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation President John Russell. “It cannot be overstated that the past year has made the important work of our charity partners even more essential to the children in our community. The funds raised at this year’s auction will provide a myriad of essential services from providing food and shelter to medical care and mental health services.”

This year’s auction format was designed to be a hybrid of in-person and virtual fundraising activities to ensure that everyone that wanted to participate would be able, regardless of their comfort level with group gatherings. Tiered ticket packages were available for the first time that ranged from an auction at home experience to a fully in-person experience that included admission to one of nine intimate patron dinners on Friday and access to one of two live auction watch parties at the Henderson Beach Resort and Churchill Oaks on Saturday. The live auction was hosted by a new auctioneer, DawnMarie Kotsonis, and broadcast from a studio location within the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa.

For the second year in a row, a single-sale auction lot sold for more than $100,000. Fly Away to Kamalame Cay, which included private round-trip airfare for four couples courtesy of NetJets to an exclusive resort in the Bahamas, sold for $105,000. Other notable lots included a luxurious trip to Virgin Gorda featuring Honorary Chef Tim Creehan and Honorary Vintner Todd Newman which sold for $62,500, a seven-day trip donated by Steve & Bridgit Griessel of Betz Family Winery to the South African winelands and Molari Lodge that sold for $50,000, and an immersive trip to Tuscany that sold three times for a total of $102,000.

The 16th Anniversary Destin Charity Wine Auction presented by the Jumonville Family was comprised of 42 unique Live lots, seven Cellar lots, 25 Super Silent lots, and 130 Silent lots. The funds raised at the annual auction are distributed to 16 local non-profit organizations for specific projects and programs that benefit children. Charity partners for 2021 include Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, Children in Crisis, Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Food for Thought, Habitat for Humanity of Walton County, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Opportunity Inc., Pathways for Change, Shelter House of Northwest Florida, AMIkids Emerald Coast, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast, Mental Health Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Westonwood Ranch, and Youth Village.

As the top charity fundraising event in Northwest Florida, the Destin Charity Wine Auction has been ranked among the nation’s top ten highest-grossing charity wine auctions in the country by Wine Spectator Magazine for eight consecutive years. The money raised at this year’s auction will be presented to the charity partners this fall. More details on the date and location of this year’s check presentation will be released this summer.  

The dates for next year’s Destin Charity Wine Auction presented by the Jumonville Family weekend are April 22 – 24, 2022. For more information on the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, visit www.DCWAF.org.

Honorary Vintner: Todd Newman of Dakota Shy

Featured Vintners:  Dakota Shy, Barnett Vineyards, Betz Family Winery, Booker Vineyards, Cast Wines, Fisher Vineyards, Jarvis Estate, Knights Bridge Winery, Kornell Sparkling Wines, Lando Wines, Law Estate, Reynolds Family Winery, Roy Estate, Tablas Creek, and VGS Chateau Potelle

Honorary Chef: Tim Creehan of Cuvee 30a

Featured Chefs: Tim Creehan of Cuvee 30a (Inlet Beach, Fla.), Matthew Basford of Canoe (Atlanta, GA), Ignacio Bernal of Vin’tij Food + Wine (Miramar Beach, Fla.), James Briscione of Angelena’s Ristorante Italiano (Pensacola, Fla.), Jack McGuckin of Bijoux (Destin, Fla.), Alex McPhail of Restaurant IRON (Pensacola, Fla.), Gary Palm of the Henderson Beach Resort (Destin, Fla.), Craig Richards of Lyla Lila (Atlanta, GA), Scotty Schwartz of El Jefe (Fernandina Beach, Fla.), Michael Sichel of Old Florida Fish House (Inlet Beach, Fla.), and Dan Vargo of the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa (Miramar Beach, Fla.). 

Presenting Sponsor: The Jumonville Family 

Platinum Sponsors: Newman Dailey Resort Properties, Setco Services LLC, Stephen & Joan Carter, Trustmark Bank, and the Powell Family 

Gold Sponsors: Ascension Sacred Heart, Wine World, Trustmark Bank, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, Emerald Coast Magazine, Visit South Walton, Coastal Accounting, Ocoee Foundation, NetJets, The Henderson Beach Resort, Scenic Sotheby’s, Step One Automotive Group, and Bert & Sue Trucksess

Silver Sponsors: Acentria Insurance, Centennial Bank, Community Bank, Cosmetic Family Dentistry, Center for Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction, Dermatology Solutions Group, Image Printing, Legacy Cabinet Company, Galati Yacht Sales, Hall and Runnels PA, Destin Ice Market 30A, Krueger, Fosdyck and Associates – Merrill Lynch, Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, Renovation Flooring, Crystal Collins Spencer Attorney at Law, Carter and Company, Enco Electronic Systems, Progress Bank, Florida Agency Network, Premier Property Group, RJH & Associates, Silver Sands Premium Outlets, Win Big Media, Jim & Renee Beaman, Don Bradley, Don & Cathy Hay, Chuck & Glenda Palmore, Todd & Jana Walker, Jackson & Tracy Wilson, Drs, Nate & Selma Wilson

Bronze Sponsors: JM Phelps Construction, Not Too Shabby, Pediatric Family Dentistry, Perry & Young The Injury Firm, Wholesale Jewelry Website, Mark & Karen Criswell, Joe & Suzanne Quinlan, and Carl & Colleen Schoenbachler