Jacoby Agency Sponsors Indianapolis Zoo's 11th Annual Wine Auction

Indianapolis, IN - The Jacoby Agency Insurance and Financial Services Elegant Vintages 11th International Wine Auction will be held at the Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis on March 21, 2009, from 6pm to midnight. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Indianapolis Zoo, the largest zoo in the United States that is privately funded. Famed wine auctioneer David Reynolds will once again be conducting the highlight of the evening, the live auction.

This event will be held in the ballroom on the second floor of the Conrad and will feature live entertainment and a five course gourmet dinner prepared by the hotel’s executive chef. Wine is always a focal point of this event, and this year’s auction is no exception. Instead of wine being served to guests during dinner, open bottles are placed on the table, allowing each guest to try several different wines as they wish. Wine for the event is donated by Olinger Distributing, the Indiana Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist for 2008.

Highlights of past auctions have included 100 point first growth Bordeaux, cases of Dominus, Opus One, and Silver Oak Cabernets and grand cru Burgundies, as well as fine jewelry, art, vacations, gourmet dinners and one-of-a-kind experiences and memorabilia from the Indianapolis Zoo.

Wine-Related Auction Items
The Elegant Vintages Wine Auction has always been the event at which you could obtain those exceptional, hard to find wines that appear once in a lifetime, those wines that always seemed to be buried in someone else’s cellar. This year is no exception. But superb wine need not be expensive, and at this year’s Elegant Vintages at the Conrad Hotel on March 21 you can go home with plenty of incredible wine, regardless of whether you spend a little or a lot. Here are just some of the lots up for bid, demonstrating the breadth of this year's auction.

• 90 Points Across Italy: Five bottles of Italian wine, all rated at 90 points by either Wine Spectator or Robert Parker. Auction estimate: $75 - $125.

• Silver Oak Cellars: A vertical (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001) of Silver Oak Cellars Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic California wine. Auction estimate: $300 - $550.

• A Classic Bordeaux: 1987 Chateau Lynch-Bages. Fifth growth estate in Pauillac appellation. Auction estimate: $80 - $125.

• Red Burgundy from the Magnificent 1999 Vintage: Ten bottles of Burgundy Pinot Noir from one of the finest private cellars in the state. Auction Estimate: $800 - $1300.

• Vertical of Kokomo Cabernet: 2004, 2005, and 2006 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, donated by the winery. Auction estimate: $80 - $120.

• Case of Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet: Always one of Napa's finest Cabernet Sauvignons, this lot consists of six (6) bottles of 2002 Mondavi Reserve in the original wood case. Auction estimate: $750 - $1000.

• Legendary 1982 Bordeaux: A bottle each of 1982 Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc, "the single greatest dry white wine made in Bordeaux," and 1982 Chateau Gruaud Larone, Parker 96 points. Auction estimate: $1200 - $1700.

• Round-trip airfare for two and three nights Junior Suite at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa: Enjoy a three-night stay in a 500 square foot Junior Suite providing an oversized room with a well-defined seating area including daily breakfast for two in the dining room. The four-star Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, an oasis of indulgence in comfort and sensibility, blessed by natural mineral hot springs, is set in the heart of California Wine Country.

Conrad Hotel Offers Special Rate for Auction Guests
Why not extend your evening after the Elegant Vintages Eleventh International Wine Auction by enjoying the live entertainment after the auction and then spending the night in the lap of luxury at the beautiful Conrad Hotel in downtown Indianapolis? Don't worryabout driving home after the wine auction, or lugging your wine home in the dark. Reserve a deluxe room at one of Indianapolis' premier destinations and let the enchantment of the evening carry you through the night.

The Conrad Hotel is extending a special room rate for attendees of the Elegant Vintages Wine Auction of only $169 per night for a deluxe room. Reservations can be made by calling (317) 713-5000 and referencing Group Code IZW. The Conrad Hotel Indianapolis is located at 50 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46204.
How to Get Tickets to the Auction
Tickets to the Elegant Vintages 11th International Wine Auction are now available at the auction’s web site. To order, please visit ElegantVintages.org and click on the “Register Now” button, or call (317) 630-2188.
Tickets are available at three different levels:

• Guest tickets are only $150 and include the opening cocktail hour, multi-course gourmet dinner paired with exquisite wines, the chance to bid on the silent and live auctions, and live entertainment.

• Patron Tickets are $200, and include all guest benefits plus the Turkle & Associates and Phases VIP Patrons’ Reception from 5pm to 6pm, first chance to bid on the silent auction items, and upgraded wine during the cocktail hour.

• Connoizooer tickets are $300, and include all Patron benefits, premium seating, and upgraded wine during dinner. The wine at your table will include highly allocated, world class wines made from some of the world's finest producers. All wines are specially selected for this prestigious event including bottles valued at $100 and higher.

Table sponsorships are also available for groups of 10 at the Patron and Connoizooer levels. For the same price as 10 tickets, you will receive a reserved table with signage on the table and recognition in the auction catalog, as well as have the opportunity to serve wines from your own cellar at dinner. Connoizooer table sponsors will also receive further recognition on the AV screens during the event. For more information, check the Zoo’s web site at indianapoliszoo.com.
Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. The Indianapolis Zoo inspires local and global communities to celebrate, protect, and preserve our natural world through conservation, education, and research, and by providing an enriching and wondrous environment for our visitors and the animals in our care. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.