The Akron Art Museum will host its 25th Annual Auction on Saturday, August 28, 2021 in person at the Museum and with a virtual option for those who would like to participate remotely. This year’s Auction fundraiser has been reimagined and participants can expect an exceptional evening with fine wine, a spectacular 4-course dinner, and special one-of-a-kind live and silent auction items. The event is held in support of the Museum’s public programs, which benefit tens of thousands of children and adults in the community every year.
Akron Art Museum Interim Executive Director Jon Fiume said, “The Auction is such a significant event for the Museum. It was important for us to creatively reimagine this wonderful event and bring it back this year so that we can continue to serve the community with our quality programming.”
Wine for the Auction is provided by DAOU Family Estates, a family owned and operated winery committed to producing collectible, world class wine. Brothers Georges Daou and Daniel Daou set forth across the globe to find an unrivaled terroir for producing Cabernet Sauvignon. That quest led them to DAOU Mountain, situated on a 212-acre hilltop estate in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. The following wines from DAOU Family Estates will be served at the Auction:
- Sauvignon Blanc: Aromatics of pineapple, gooseberry, lemongrass and star jasmine.
- DAOU Rosé: Delightfully fragrant and floral, showing lovely aromas of fresh strawberry.
- Bodyguard by DAOU: Fragrant fruit aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and crème de cassis.
- Reserve Chardonnay: Tropical notes with a full profile of ripe ruby red grapefruit, white peach and apricot.
- Reserve Cabernet: Scents of dark chocolate, licorice, blackberries with a touch of cedar.
Additionally, there will be a pre-sale of the limited edition DAOU Family Estates Soul of A Lion Cabernet, available for purchase by the bottle or in a package of three. The 3-pack wine purchase comes with a stunning, wooden DAOU Vineyards and Winery case for display. Soul of A Lion will not be officially released to the public until September, so Auction participants will be the first to gain access to this wine priced at a special rate. Brandon Shepard, DAOU’s National Director for Soul of a Lion will be at the event to celebrate this special release.
The Auction fundraiser is chaired by Sandra Kornick and Lyn Bober, both residents of Akron. The reimagined fundraiser offers an opportunity for anyone to participate in online bidding, and two great options to be a part of the event and enjoy world class wine. For $300, participants can attend the Auction in the Museum’s Beatrice Knapp Grand Lobby with dinner from Driftwood Catering and DAOU wine. For those unable to celebrate in person, we are offering a boxed gourmet repast from Papa Joe’s Italian Restaurant that serves 2-4 people and includes DAOU Reserve Cabernet and Reserve Chardonnay wines for $150 per box. Both options offer a great experience for all participants, and proceeds will directly support the Museum.
“We’re thrilled to bring back the Auction after postponing it last year, and to offer two different ways to experience this truly special event,” said Development Officer, Katie Casenhiser. “We want this year’s Auction to bring the community together for a wonderful celebration of the Museum while accommodating and understanding the range of comfort levels participants may have regarding COVID-19. With this new format, we welcome participants to experience the Auction in the way that feels most comfortable to them.”
A number of exceptional items will be auctioned off such as the DAOU Family Estates Wine Auction Grand Prize that includes a two-night stay at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles, California, a personal VIP tour of the vineyard, a private barrel tasting of some of DAOU’s finest wines, and more. For additional information regarding the Auction, how to purchase tickets, or to become a sponsor for the event, please visit the Museum’s website.
Auction sponsors to date include: The Lehner Family Foundation, DAOU Family Estates, Cohen & Co., McMillen Family Companies, First Energy, Akron Pediatric Surgical Associates, The J.M. Smucker Company, Jeff and Lisa Bruno, Jeffrey and Sandra Kornick, Herb and Dianne Newman, Bober Markey Fedorovich, Broadleaf Partners, Brennan Manna Diamond, Cleveland Clinic-Akron General, S.A. Communale Co., Judge Kathryn Michael.