Wine enthusiasts buy in sips not gulps at Napa Valley wine auction for charities

ST. HELENA, Calif. — The Napa Valley wine auction, an annual assembly of the affluent, scaled down the glitz and raised a little more than half of last year’s total for charity. But the $5.7 million take was just fine with organizers.

Recession halves intake at Napa wine auction; organizers streamline approach for the times

ST. HELENA, Calif. — The Napa Valley wine auction, an annual barometer of bling, scaled down this year with no celebrities, lowered expectations and a final tally of about $5.7 million, a little more than half the take last year.