The annual Savor the Symphony Wine Dinner and Auction is always a a blending of the senses together with wining and dining for the taste buds and the sounds of music celebrating the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League‘s fundraising efforts.
For this year’s event at the Ritz-Carlton Dallas on Thursday, April 13, it was a true family affair with mother-daughter Laura Downing and former DSOL Deb Caroline Gahm co-chairing the seated dinner and Brenda and Clay Cockerell with daughter Lily Cockerell providing a Sauvignon Blanc from their Coquerel Family Wine Estates for the reception. Here’s a report from the field:
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra League’s Savor the Symphony Wine Dinner and Auction was held on Thursday, April 13, at the Ritz-Carlton. The event co-chairs, mother and daughter duo Laura Downing and Caroline Gahm, planned an elegant evening starting with a wine tasting reception featuring Sauvignon Blanc from the Coquerel Family Wine Estates. The winemakers Brenda and Clay Cockerell, along with daughter Lily, flew in from Napa Valley for the event.
During the tasting, guests browsed the many silent auction items, which included a large selection of specialty wines, along with bottles of Coquerel wine. A special auction item was donated by AERO, the new exclusive private jet service starting service this month from Dallas to Cabo and Aspen.
In attendance were Venise and Larry Stuart, Tricia and Michael Wortley, Donna and Herb Weitzman, Marena Gault, Terry Loftis, Toni Martin, Barbara and Don Averitt, Carole Ann Brown, Sharon and Maurice Ballew, Jennifer and Todd Olson, Angela Fontana and Andy Szuwalski.
After guests were seated for dinner, DSOL President Cynthia Beaird recognized the Cockerell family who are originally from Dallas.
“We have been dear friends with the Cockerell’s since we carpooled our kids,” said Beaird. “They were 3 at the time and are now 35 years old.”
Brenda shared a brief history of their journey into the wine industry. In 2005, they purchased a vineyard in Calistoga planted to old-vine, dry-farmed Sauvignon Blanc. In 2008 they acquired the adjacent site that was planted to a handful of traditional varieties rarely found in modern-day Napa. Since then they have revamped, replanted and upgraded the property to luxury-class winegrowing standards. All of the bottlings are handmade in small lots to ensure character and authenticity. Lily has joined the family business and is providing youthful perspective.
Laura and Caroline thanked sponsors for the evening and gave details for the silent auction. Although she was unable to be there, they thanked Angela Jackson for uploading the items online so guests could bid by phone.
DSO new Chief Advancement and Revenue Officer Terry Loftis introduced DSO violinist Lucas Aleman who gave a special musical performance for the guests. A native of Spain, Aleman was appointed in 1998 to the position of Concertmaster of the Real Filharmonia de Galicia at the age of 22, making him, at the time, the youngest Concertmaster in Spain. He left his post in 2000 and became the Concertmaster of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2006, Aleman has been a member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s first violin section.
The proceeds from the evening will benefit the Dallas Symphony Association and its education and community outreach programs which include Kim Noltemy Young Musicians, Young Strings and the Cecil and Ida Green Youth Concert Series. These programs impact over 35,000 area students and are vital as they promote brain development and high school graduation rates, opening doors to a brighter future.
* Photo credit: Chuck Clark