Just hours before the masses congregated at Meadowood for the 31^st annual Auction Napa Valley, a select group came together at The Napa Valley Reserve, a private wine club adjacent to the hotel where members can partake in the winemaking experience with like-minded individuals.

The event, a small and elegant gathering, was sponsored by Krug champagne and hosted by Reserve director, Phillip Norfleet. And while the bubbles were enjoyed amidst the blazing fire, in one of the property’s rooms, high above the vineyards, the guest of honor, Napa Valley heavy weight and The Reserve owner, Bill Harlan, found himself enjoying some top-notch reading material.

Following the cocktail, guests flocked next door to the Meadowood hotel property, to buy some of Napa Valley’s most exquisite wines in an auction luncheon that would raise millions to benefit local charities.