NOVEMBER 6 – 7, 2026
DOWNTOWN AUSTIN

Friday, Nov. 6
12:00-3:00 PM

Featured Winemaker Luncheon

ATTIRE: Business Casual
LOCATION: Announced Soon

Saturday, Nov. 7
4:30-6:30 PM

The Austin
Wine Auction

ATTIRE: Black-tie optional
LOCATION: JW Marriott Austin
101 E. 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701

Saturday, Nov. 7
6:30-10:30PM

Austin Wine & Food Foundation Gala

ATTIRE: Black-tie optional
LOCATION: JW Marriott Austin
101 E. 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701

Join Us For the 40th Anniversary of This Incredible Event!

Experience an unforgettable weekend of culinary excellence and giving back with the Austin Wine & Food Foundation.

Our famous wine auction takes place immediately prior to the Gala for our most passionate wine collectors and enthusiasts! Discover 50+ extraordinary wine lots and luxury tasting experiences specifically curated for serious collectors and bidders. More information about that event can be found here.

Immediately following the Austin Wine Auction, The Austin Wine & Food Foundation Gala features an exquisite four-course dinner with expert wine service from a team of Austin’s finest sommeliers. The event includes a smaller, curated selection of 10-15 premium live auction lots, including luxury vacations, exceptional wines, exclusive dining experiences, and an exciting raffle with coveted prizes. We are thrilled to have Christopher Carpenter of Cardinale as our 2026 Featured Winemaker.

As always, we will kick off the weekend on Friday, November 6th, at our Featured Winemaker Luncheon. This exclusive, elegant luncheon takes place the day before the Auction & Gala and includes a multi-course lunch paired with wines provided by the Featured Winemaker.

Your participation in this beloved celebration of food and wine directly supports our philanthropic initiatives, including AWFF programming, the battle against food insecurity in Austin, and our scholarship program for local hospitality professionals advancing their careers through education.

Click here for the 2025 Auction Weekend Catalog to see last year’s Auction packages!

2026 Featured Winemaker

We are thrilled to welcome Christopher Carpenter of Cardinale Winery as our Featured Winemaker and speaker for the 40th Annual Wine Auction & Gala!

Chris Carpenter is the winemaker for many of Napa Valley’s most prestigious wineries, including Cardinale, Lokoya, La Jota Vineyard Co., Mt. Brave, Caladan, and Hickinbotham in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. Over the past two decades, Chris has earned a reputation for taming Napa Valley’s mountain tannins and creating legendary Cabernet Sauvignon. He works closely with the vineyard team to nurture and then manifest the unique character of each vineyard block in elegant wines with great depth, mountain character, and historic pedigree.

We are honored to have Chris Carpenter here to share his expertise and award-winning wines with us.

Meet The Auctioneer

Charles Antin has been a fundraising and commercial auctioneer since 2007. Charles has auctioneered hundreds of benefits from Miami to Nashville to Jackson Hole to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Destin, San Francisco and Hong Kong – and, of course, many in the metro NYC area, where he is based. These auctions have raised tens of millions of dollars for charitable organizations.

On the commercial side, Charles is the Global Head of Wine Auctions at Zachys, and was both a commercial and charity auctioneer at Christie’s for close to a decade.

We can't wait to welcome Charles back to Austin for the Austin Wine Auction and the Wine & Food Foundation Gala!

AWFF GIVES BACK!

In addition to our yearly programming, proceeds from our events help support our philanthropic initiatives, including giving back $115,000 in grants and educational scholarships in 2026!

AWFF Grants

AWFF is committed to preventing and battling food insecurity in Central Texas.

Learn More About Grants

AWFF Hospitality Scholarships

The Austin Wine & Food Foundation Scholarship Program exists to support hospitality professionals in their career growth and achieve their career goals. We believe that every dedicated service professional deserves access to the tools and training needed to advance their career, regardless of financial barriers.

Our comprehensive scholarship initiative provides funding for industry certifications, specialized training programs, and continuing education opportunities. From sommelier certifications and culinary arts programs to hospitality management courses and service excellence training, we support professionals at every stage of their career journey.

Learn More About Scholarships