Saturday, October 21, 2023
5:00 PM at JW Marriott
Featured Winemaker & Keynote Speaker
Laurent Drouhin of Maison Joseph Drouhin (Burgundy) and Domaine Drouhin (Oregon)
About the Event
The 2023 Rare & Fine Wine Auction Gala begins with an auction lot preview reception with wines from our Featured Winemaker, an elegant dinner, and an impressive wine selection presented by a team of Austin’s best sommeliers. The highlight of the evening is an electrifying live auction in which spirited bidders compete for rare and fine wines and other luxury packages. Proceeds raised at this event allow the Foundation to continue our mission to cultivate and invest in the wine and food community through education, appreciation, and enjoyment. The Foundation has awarded more than $1.7 million in grants, scholarships, education, and hospitality industry support.
About the Featured Winemaker
We are honored and thrilled to welcome Laurent Drouhin of Maison Joseph Drouhin (Burgundy) and Domaine Drouhin (Oregon) as our Featured Winemaker this year. Born in 1966 in Beaune, the center of France’s Burgundy region, Laurent was the second son and third child of Françoise and Robert Drouhin, a man known around the world for his passionate devotion to the fine Burgundy wines produced by Maison Joseph Drouhin, the firm started by his grandfather in 1880. Laurent has a deep connection to Burgundy that extends beyond the family and the business. With his outgoing charm and exuberant personality, Laurent is a natural ambassador for Joseph Drouhin wines.
2023 Beneficiary
Giving back to the community is critical to the organization’s mission, whether individual scholarships and grants or supporting organizations whose missions align with WFF. In the last two years, WFF raised $30,000 for Lift Collective and is thrilled to announce the organization as its beneficiary again for the third year. Lift Collective is a community-centered, non-profit organization advocating equity and inclusion in the wine industry.