The High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction has named its Special Guests of Honor for 2010: Alessia Antinori of Antinori Wine Estates, Jean-Guillaume Prats of Château Cos d’Estournel and Amalia and Florencia Palmaz of Palmaz Vineyards. The 18th annual Wine Auction, “The Allure of Wine: Uncork a Journey,” is scheduled for March 25–27 and will take place under its trademark big-top tents in Atlantic Station.

“We are honored to welcome such esteemed special guests to our 18th annual Wine Auction,” say Wine Auction co-chairs Michelle Edwards Crosland and Christine Ragland. “With a new format for this year’s events, we think our success will continue to draw prominent vintners, chefs and donors. We look forward to great bidding and benefactor support to ensure another successful Auction in support of the High’s quality exhibitions and educational programs.”

Alessia Antinori of Antinori Wine Estates

Special Guest Alessia Antinori has a heritage that boasts twenty-six generations and more than six-hundred years of traditional and innovative winemaking in Tuscany and Umbria, Italy. The Antinori family registered in the Florentine Vintners’ Guild in 1385, and traces its tradition of wine-making even further back to 1180. Alessia, a native of Florence, graduated with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the Agrarian University of Milan. For more than a decade, she has participated in Tignanello harvests at the family’s estate in the Chianti Classico region and Guado al Tasso in Bolgheri. Currently, she manages one of her family’s new estates, Montenisa, located in Franciacorta, which produces high-quality sparkling wines. Alessia has been part of the family’s export and sales team since January 2009. She has an avid interest in fine art and photography and serves on the International Council of The Museum of Modern Art. For additional information about the Antinori family visit their website at www.antinori.it.

Jean-Guillaume Prats of Château Cos d’Estournel

Jean-Guillaume Prats is CEO of Domaines Reybier, which includes Château Cos d’Estournel and Château Marbuzet (both located in Saint-Estèphe) as well as a new high-end wine called Goulée. Jean-Guillaume is the fourth generation to be involved in the management of Château Cos d’Estournel. His father Bruno, now retired, was a key figure in the Bordeaux trade, managing Cos d’Estournel from 1970 to 1998. Jean-Guillaume’s grandfather Fernand Ginestet bought the second-growth Saint-Estèphe château in 1917; he also owned other Bordeaux estates including Château Margaux and the large négociant firm Ginestet. His other grandfather, Jean Prats, was the founder and president of Saint-Raphael, a major French spirit company at the time. In 1994 Jean-Guillaume returned to Cos after graduating from the European Business School (Paris) to work with his father. Four years later, the young executive was president of the estate. Prats is now a member of the Board of Directors of the Conseil des Crus Classés en 1855, the Académie du Vin de Bordeaux and the Commanderie du Bontemps du Médoc et des Graves, de Sauternes et Barsac. Jean-Guillaume is also a serious tennis player and was the youngest player ever to play for the French team in an international match. He was French amateur champion in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1998. For additional information about Château Cos-d’Estournel visit their website at www.estournel.com.

Amalia and Florencia Palmaz of Palmaz Vineyards

Special Guest Amalia Palmaz established Palmaz Vineyards with her husband Julio to accomplish a shared dream—revive an important part of Napa’s wine-making heritage. The dream began many years ago when they first moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and fell in love with the charm of the Napa Valley. Their vision began to take shape when they learned of an abandoned vineyard and winery at the foot of Mount George in east Napa. They purchased the property and began restoring it in 1997. Ever interested in mechanics and engineering, Dr. Palmaz played an integral role in designing Palmaz Vineyards’ elaborate gravity flow winery. He now lives in Napa with his family and also maintains an impressive collection of vintage race cars. As president of Palmaz Vineyards, Amalia is responsible for the daily management of the winery and vineyard operation. Julio and their children are also involved in the family business. Their daughter Florencia’s interest in food and wine led her to establish three enterprises with her mother: Haute at Home, GoodHeart Brand Specialty Foods and GoodHeart SureChef. For additional information about Palmaz Vinyards visit www.palmazvineyards.com.

2010 High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction

The 2010 Wine Auction, organized by co-chairs Michelle Edwards Crosland and Christine Ragland, will include a change in events. The Benefactor Party will be a special evening at the High called The Allure Party, held the weekend before the auction. This event includes a preview of “The Allure of the Automobile” on Saturday, March 20. Week-of festivities include The Artist Dinner with Thomas Arvid on Wednesday, March 24, and the Trade Tasting and new in-restaurant Dine Around Dinners on Thursday, March 25. Events on Friday, March 26, include the new Vintners’ Cup golf tournament at East Lake Golf Club, Premier Tasting Seminars and the ever-popular in-home Winemaker Dinners. Saturday, March 27, features the Vintners’ Reception and Live Auction. Teaming up to wield the gavel for the Live Auction are esteemed wine auctioneers Michael Davis and Leah Hammer of Hart Davis Hart Wine Co., Chicago. For more information about specific events, visit www.atlanta-wineauction.org.

The 2010 High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction is made possible through the generous support of the exclusive Presenting Sponsor, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Premier Corporate Sponsors include Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine, Geographics, KPMG and Wells Fargo Private Bank.  The Allure Party Sponsors are Wilmington Trust, Jim Ellis Porsche and Hennessy Porsche North Atlanta. Atlantic Station is the Site Sponsor. Delta Air Lines is the Official Airline Sponsor. Select Corporate Sponsors include The Atlantan; Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta; A Legendary Event; Restaurant Forum; Sherlock’s Wine Merchant; The Wine Room at The St. Regis Atlanta and Tony Brewer & Company.

High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction

Founded in 1993, the High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction is the largest fundraising event for the High Museum of Art. The Wine Auction is the top charity fundraising event in Atlanta, ranked the fourth largest charity wine auction in the United States by Wine Spectator and the number-one charity wine auction benefiting the arts. The funds generated by the Wine Auction, which amount to more than $15 million over the last 17 years, are a significant contribution to the Museum’s acquisitions, exhibitions and educational programming. Proceeds help to make possible special exhibitions and partnerships such as the upcoming multi-year, multi-exhibition partnership between the High and The Museum of Modern Art, and it also provides funds for dynamic youth education programs that draw thousands of schoolchildren to the High each year. For more information about the Wine Auction, please visit www.atlanta-wineauction.org.

High Museum of Art

The High Museum of Art, founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, is the leading art museum in the southeastern United States. With more than 12,000 works of art in its permanent collection, the High Museum of Art has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American and decorative art; significant holdings of European paintings; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography and African art. The High is also dedicated to supporting and collecting works by Southern artists and is distinguished as the only major museum in North America to have a curatorial department specifically devoted to the field of folk and self-taught art. The High’s media arts department produces acclaimed annual film series and festivals of foreign, independent and classic cinema. In November 2005, the High opened three new buildings by architect Renzo Piano that more than doubled the Museum’s size, creating a vibrant “village for the arts” at the Woodruff Arts Center in midtown Atlanta. For more information about the High, please visit www.High.org.

The Woodruff Arts Center

The Woodruff Arts Center is ranked among the top four arts centers in the nation. The Woodruff is unique in that it combines four visual and performing arts divisions on one campus as one not-for-profit organization. Opened in 1968, the Woodruff Arts Center is home to the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art and Young Audiences. To learn more about the Woodruff Arts Center, please visit www.woodruffcenter.org.

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Media contact:

Nicole Johnson                          Public Relations Coordinator

                                                Tel: 404-733-4585 | Fax: 404-733-4529

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