DCWAF Raises Over $3.8 Million for Northwest Florida Children in Need

Photography by Kelly Curry

The Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation (DCWAF) is pleased to announce that the 17th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction presented by the Jumonville Family raised more than $3.8 million for children in need in Northwest Florida. The record-breaking results are a staggering $1.8 million increase over the previous year.

Hosted on April 22 and 23 at Grand Boulevard Town Center, the 17th Annual Auction was the first in-person auction experience produced by DCWAF since 2019 following two years of virtual auctions. With a sold-out crowd of 600 guests, the proceeds of the auction benefit DCWAF’s 15 partner children’s charities in Northwest Florida.

“The results of this year’s auction far exceeded anything we could have ever dreamed,” said John Russell, President of DCWAF. “We expected to show growth when compared to the past two virtual auctions, but we had no idea we would beat our best auction by over a million dollars! We are so grateful to our supporters from the wine and culinary fields but also to our board of directors and the patrons that attended the auction and raised their paddles high and often. What cannot be overstated is the impact these funds will have on our supported charities. They have battled through the pandemic to continue to deliver their services, often at great risk to themselves, so that the children of our community would know they were not forgotten. We cannot wait to present the largest checks in our history to our charity partners.”

The auction weekend began Friday, April 22 with 10 patron dinners hosted along the Emerald Coast collectively raising more than $720,000. The live auction kicked off on Saturday, April 23 with the Magnum Force lot (50 magnums from vintners past and present) which raised a record winning bid of $70,000. The highest single-selling lot of the afternoon was a trip with private air passage to Middleburg, VA, which sold for $110,000. A luxurious seven-night stay in the British Virgin Islands aboard a four-bedroom Moorings 52.4 monohull captained by Chef Tim Creehan sold for $70,000, and an immersive trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail complete with private air passage, courtesy of NetJets, sold for $75,000.

DCWAF broke from tradition to offer a very special 9-liter of Ellison Ingram Cuvée, named in honor of long-time supporters, Doug and Merrisa Ingram’s nine-year-old son who tragically passed away last year. This lot sold for $65,000 and then again for $75,000, raising a grand total of $140,000. Proceeds from this lot will benefit the Ellison Ingram Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to children in Northwest Florida who have previously benefited from one of DCWAF’s partner charities.

Other notable lots included a trip to Costa Rica which sold five times for a total of $112,500, a trip to Napa with an intimate wine dinner hosted by Forman Vineyards that sold for $54,000, an immersive trip to Italy that sold four times for a total of $160,000, and a customizable trip to Bordeaux that sold four times for a total of $140,000. This year’s Paddle Raise also broke all previous records, raising more than $340,000.

The funds raised at the 17th Annual Destin Charity Wine Auction will be distributed to 15 local non-profit organizations for specific projects and programs that benefit children. DCWAF’s charity partners for 2022 include AMIkids Emerald Coast, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, Boys and Girls Clubs of the 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, Mental Health Association of Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Opportunity Inc., Shelter House of Northwest Florida, The Arc of the Emerald Coast, Westonwood Ranch, and Youth Village.

This year’s auction was comprised of 46 Live Lots, eight Cellar Lots, 37 Super Silent Lots, and 137 Silent Lots featuring rare wines, luxury travel experiences, and many other one-of-a-kind items.

As the top charity fundraising event in Northwest Florida, the Destin Charity Wine Auction is currently ranked fifth among the nation’s top charity wine auctions by Wine Spectator Magazine. The money raised at this year’s auction will be presented to DCWAF’s charity partners during a special check presentation ceremony in September.

Featured Proprietors and Vintners: 2022 Honorary Vintner Shirley Roy and Bryan Zupon of Roy Estate, Kevin Hague of Barnett Vineyards, Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton, Jill Delariva Russell of Cambria Estate Winery, Erik Ackerman and Leah Fitch of Cardinale, Todd Newman of Dakota Shy, Jay McDonald of EIEIO Winery, Lizz Cintron of Fisher Vineyards, Ric Forman of Forman Vineyard, Gary Irvin of Fulldraw Vineyard, Ted Henry of Groth Vineyards and Winery, Luis Reyneri of Knight’s Bridge Winery, Paula Kornell of Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine, Sam Lando of LANDO Wines, Pedro Vazquez and Savannah Reber of Law Estate, Stu Lerner of Lerner Project, Niccolo Maltinti of Marchesi Antinori, John Conover of Plumpjack Group, Dr. Madaiah Revana of Revana Wines, Todd Kerlin of The Debate, Kirk Venge of Venge Vineyards, and Jean-Noel Fourmeaux of VGS Chateau Potelle

Featured Chefs and Restaurants: 2022 Honorary Chef Jack McGuckin of Bijoux, Ignacio Bernal of Vin’tij Food + Wine, Matthew Basford of Canoe, Fleetwood Covington of Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, Tim Creehan of Cuvee 30A, Drew Dzejak of The CITIZEN at Alys Beach, Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile, Emeril Lagasse of Emeril’s Coastal, Joelle Mollinger of Joelle’s French Bistro, and Dan Vargo of Fine Coastal Cuisine

Local Restaurants featured at the Reserve Tasting: Bijoux Restaurant & Spirits, Bitterroot, The Henderson Beach Resort, Jackacudas Seafood & Sushi, Seagar’s Prime Steaks & Seafood, Signature Catering of 30-A, and Slick Lips Seafood & Oyster House

Sponsors: Presenting: The Jumonville Family; Platinum: Jay & Diane Geier, Newman-Dailey Resort Properties, The Powell Family, Setco Services, Stephen & Joan Carter, Rex Lumber; Gold: Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, NetJets, Progress Bank, Rowland Publishing, Step One Automotive Group, Scenic Sotheby’s, Trustmark Bank; Silver: The Cascade at Sandestin, Coastal Accounting, Florida Agency Network, Don & Yana Lockton, The Loomis Foundation, Ocoee Foundation, RJH and Associates, Spencer Law, Bill & Cheryl Stegbauer, Bert & Sue Trucksess, Visit South Walton; Bronze: Acentria Insurance, Anne Winicki Group, Jim and Renee Beaman, Don Bradley, Caliber Supply Company, Carter and Company CPA, Castle, Centennial Bank, Community Bank, Jim and Sandi Continenza, Cosmetic Family Dentistry, Mark and Karen Criswell, Daniel Investments, Dermatology Solutions Group, Destin Ice 30A, Emmanuel Sheppard and Condon, Enco Electronic Systems, Finca Ambrosia, Floorzz Premium Flooring, Galati Yacht Sales, Keith and Maureen Gamble, Grand Boulevard, Hall and Runnels PA, Hand Arendall Harrison Sale, Don and Cathy Hay, The Henderson Beach Resort, Image Printing, JM Phelps Construction, Ketchersid Land & Title, MCB Foundation, Merrill Lynch: Krueger, Fosdyck and Associates, Not Too Shabby, Chuck & Glenda Palmore, Panhandle Getaways, Perry and Young: The Injury Firm, Pinh Foundation, Joe and Suzanne Quinlan, Renasant Bank, Renovation Flooring, Sally Burns Art, Carl and Colleen Schoenbachler, Dann and Colette Schwartz, Search Firm, Silver Sands Premium Outlets, Sharon Stark and Gary Cook, Trident Construction, Jack and Candis Wilson, Jackson and Tracy Wilson, Dr. Selma Wilson and Dr. Nate Wilson, Dr. Bruce Woodham, VIP Magazine 30a, Virtuous Management Group, and Wholesale Jewelry

Visit DCWAF.ORG to learn more.