(June 21, 2024; Rutherford, Calif.)—Sullivan Rutherford Estate, Napa Valley’s Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon hideaway for over 50 years, is honored to host the annual Vida OLE Dinner and Auction on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. The dinner and auction will mark the finale of this year’s Vida OLE, the weekend-long event directed by the OLE Health Foundation. Proceeds from the weekend’s events will benefit Napa County’s only network of community health centers, which provides health care to essential workers in the region.
2024 marks the second year that Sullivan will host the Vida OLE Dinner and Auction at its iconic Rutherford estate. Last year, Vida OLE raised a record-setting $1.7 million to help fund Napa-based initiatives that cover expenses for patients unable to pay for their care, support expansion of nonprofit community health centers and provide mobile health services for vineyard workers. With sights set high, money raised from this year’s event will support expanded services and health centers in Napa County to meet the ever-increasing demand for access to healthcare.
“I believe that this is one of the most impactful fundraisers in Napa Valley today–OLE Health’s mission to provide accessible healthcare to all in the Napa community is one that aligns with my core values,” says Juan Pablo Torres Padilla, managing partner of Sullivan Rutherford Estate. “We are honored to host the dinner and auction for a second year in a row and hope to make a direct local impact.”
On Saturday, June 29, Sullivan’s sumptuous wines will be shared and thoughtfully paired with a curated three-course dinner highlighting the flavors of the season. During the event, guests will be invited to sips of Loco Tequila, which is artisanally crafted to honor the original identity of tequila from the 18th century. From El Arenal, Jalisco, Mexico, this exceptional sipping tequila is available at select locations in California. The vivacious auctioneer Fritz Hatton will lead a lively auction of intriguing lots consisting of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, luxurious getaways, sporting excursions, memorable dinners, rare wines and more. The evening will conclude with an energetic concert where attendees can kick up their heels and dance the night away under the stars.
“Vida OLE is a celebration of what makes our Napa Valley community unique, namely food, wine, and hospitality. At the heart of it all are the people who make this world-class destination truly special. This weekend provides critical financial support for Napa’s only nonprofit community health center, which is responsible for keeping those working in our community at restaurants, vineyards, wineries and hotels healthy,” says Naoko Dalla Valle, OLE Health Foundation board chair. “We are so grateful to the support this community has shown us, and we look forward to an incredible weekend of events.”
An all-inclusive Vida OLE Weekend Pass is $1,750 per person ($1150 tax-deductible), tickets to the Vida OLE Dinner and Auction are $1,000 per person ($700 tax deductible). Tickets may be purchased here.
About Sullivan Rutherford Estate
Situated in the heart of Napa Valley, Sullivan Rutherford Estate has been Rutherford’s Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon hideaway for five decades. Founded in 1972, during the apex of the boutique winery movement, by James O’Neil Sullivan, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines were first planted on the 26-acre estate in 1978, per the encouragement of Rutherford’s legendary winemaker, André Tchelistcheff. In 2018 Juan Pablo Torres Padilla led a family partnership to purchase Sullivan Rutherford Estate, and quietly assembled a world-class team of exceptional individuals in the wine industry, including General Manager Joshua Lowell, Head of Consumer Sales and Marketing Erin Callahan and Vineyard Manager Mike Wolf. Winemaker Jeff Cole, who had joined Sullivan in 2013, is dedicated to crafting world-class wines that reflect a traditional style and a mastery of today’s finest winemaking techniques. Sullivan produces a J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve tier offering, produced from the top percentage of vineyard blocks on the estate. This includes the J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Merlot ($315), the J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($315) and J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Cabernet Franc ($315). Additional offerings include an Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($150), Coeur de Vigne ($100), Merlot ($125), Estate Chardonnay ($75) and Rosé ($54). Located at 1090 Galleron Road, Sullivan Rutherford Estate is open for visits by appointment. Reservations can be made by calling the winery at (707) 963-9646, emailing hospitality@sullivanwine.com, or on Tock.
Follow on Social Media
- Website: https://www.sullivanwine.com/
- Instagram: @Sullivan.Rutherford.Estate
- Twitter: @SullivanEstate
- Facebook: @
SullivanRutherfordEstateWinery
About Loco Tequila
Born from a passion to showcase Mexico’s history, art and legacy with an exceptional spirit that honors the original identity of the blue agave, Loco Tequila has redefined the standards of excellence by incorporating ancestral, artisanal methods from the 18th century melded with innovative techniques and technology. The home of Loco Tequila is Hacienda La Providencia, a 200-year-old estate rich with tradition in tequila production, and a long-standing reputation for superior quality dating back to the 1800s. Loco Tequila embodies Mexican hospitality and culture at its highest level, from vision to process to enjoyment, and aims to recover the splendor of the past and take it into the future. Unique to the industry, Loco Tequila owns and farms over 200 acres of agave fields entirely within three miles of La Providencia, thus creating a deep connection to the land of El Arenal and yielding a tequila that is an unprecedented expression of terruño, or terroir. The proprietary fields are expertly managed by Maestro Agavero and Jimador, José Antonio Sánchez López, whose family has tended the fields for over three generations. Directing the fermentation and distillation process is Creador and Maestro Tequilero, Alberto Navarro, author of Larousse del Tequila and foremost expert in the field. His goal is to achieve prominent and balanced flavors, never masked by the addition of commonly used additives or flavors. Loco Tequila produces three distillations: Loco Blanco ($135), the flagship tequila that balances power and purity allowing the agave to shine; Loco Ámbar ($199) a limited edition reposado blended from Loco Blanco that is rested in four hand selected barrels for 6-8 months; and Loco Puro Corazón ($349), a pristine, elegant and rare expression, meticulously selected from the “pure heart” of the distillation, without the re-integration of the heads or the tails of the distillate.
Follow on Social Media
- Website: https://loco-tequila.com/
- Instagram: @locotequilausa
- Twitter: @LocoTequilaUSA
- Facebook: @LocoTequilaUSA
About the OLE Health Foundation
The OLE Health Foundation was started by vintner John Shafer in 1986 to ensure a more stable financial future for OLE Health. As a separate 501c3, the OLE Health Foundation’s mission is to raise money and build support for the work of OLE Health in Napa County. Its signature event, Vida OLE, takes place each summer and includes three days of festivities geared toward celebrating the work of OLE Health and the special relationship the organization has with the vintner and business community in Napa. The Foundation is governed by a board of directors composed of community leaders. New members are nominated on a continuous basis and serve for a three-year term with no limit on reappointment.
