Fine Wine Auction in support of the Canadian Opera

Last night the Canadian Opera Company hosted their 13th annual Fine Wine Auctionat the Design Exchange and yours truly garnered an invite to this fabulous event. The intimate affair saw over 400 wine enthusiasts and Opera supporters convene for a merry night of  rare wines and all things art. The crowd ranged from wine enthusiasts to serious oenophiles all armed with their paddles, ready to jump on coveted wines.

The Cheese Boutique had a fantastic spread and I cannot lie, the fig with truffle honey and Stilton stole the show for me. Trius’ Red (mix of  Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and Chardonnay were free flowing and might have been the main reason that many of the dapper suited men and the pretty ladies on their arms were clad in black from head to toe. I ofcourse was decked out in a lovely cream ensemble which had tell tale signs of the delicious mini burgers, whoopie pies and the Cabernet franc wine jelly.

The exhaustive list of items available for the silent auction ranged from culinary books and outings  to vacations and yes there was a Tiffany beer mug. Ofcourse. Hard to forget is the raffle for a 1.26 carat environmentally mind Canadian diamond ring. The live auction for some exquisite international wines  had me and my date (a novice collector) capitivated. There was some serious plays happening as supporters  of the Opera tried to outbid each other, all in favour of supporting a great cause and building their private collections. Oh to invited to dinner at one of the bidder’s homes! Clearly these bidders did not need to refer to the Wine Spectator app (no points for guessing who was glued to their phone!) as they were well informed about which ones they wanted and which wines warranted a $1000 plus price point. Riveting I tell you. Paddles here and paddles there, the well seasoned auctioneer was besides himself ensuring he did the best he could. That he did complete with waving his gavel to hush the  hobnobbing crowd.

The evening was complemented by an animated performance by rising Canadian soprano Ambur Braid who sashayed in a gorgeous red dress. This was a lovely evening spent learning about some new wines, engaging with Opera lovers and bonding with my date, the hubs, who rarely joins me in my escapades. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary in support of a great cause, be sure to mark your calenders for next year’s Fine Wine Auction!