AficioNada

Premiere Napa Valley raised $1.5 million this year, down from $2.2 in 2008. Several wine symposium attendees predicted the top bidders wouldn't be from the U.S. Turns out they were right. Nakagawa Wine Company from Tokyo, Japan, was the top bidder, paying $80,000 for five cases of an '07 Scarecrow Cabernet and $42,000 for five cases of the 07 Ovid Cabernet, according to the Napa Valley Register.

My favorite wine from the weekend? Hudson Vineyards' esoteric blend of Syrah, Grenache, Viognier and Barbera, for a hit of acid. It was a refreshing change from all the 100-percent Cabernets on the auction block.