Renowned Chef Michael Mina, Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry, and Gemstone Vineyard team up for V Foundation Wine Celebration
Proceeds from the partners’ 2 luxurious auction lots, “A Feast for the Gods with Chef Michael Mina,” raised a collective $240,000 for cancer research
New York / Menlo Park, CA (August 11, 2021) - Silicon Valley luxury jeweler Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry and Napa Valley vintner Gemstone Vineyard collaborated once again for this year’s V Foundation Wine Celebration, this year also partnering with award-winning Chef and restaurateur Michael Mina to offer a uniquely cultivated experience. At the live auction and gala event on August 7 in Napa Valley, the auction lot, “A Feast Fit for the Gods with Chef Michael Mina,” proved so popular that it sold twice over, yielding a total of $240,000 toward the total of $12 million charitable funds raised over the course of the V Foundation Wine Celebration weekend.
The luxurious auction lot promised to whisk guests away in a private vehicle for a tasteful evening at Gemstone Vineyard, dining on Chef Mina’s remarkable Greek fare from Estiatorio Ornos, a Michael Mina Restaurant, and sipping Gemstone library wines, while bedecked in their choice of sparkling Stephen Silver Fine jewelry creations for the evening.
The V Foundation Wine Celebration gala and live auction, held at Nickel & Nickel Winery, was hosted by Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski, Head Coach of Duke Men's Basketball Team. He was joined by co-hosts ESPN “Sports Center” Anchor Sage Steele (and V Foundation board member) and ESPN College Basketball Analyst Jay Bilas, along with featured speaker CNN Commentator Paul Begala. Guests enjoyed an elaborate multi-course dinner prepared by award-winning Chef Michael Mina, paired with the exceptional Nickel & Nickel Estate wines.
This year’s Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry and Gemstone Vineyard collaboration follow the success of the highly publicized Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry and Gemstone Vineyard ruby-encrusted bottle collaboration. The four Ruby Jeroboam Cabernet Sauvignon bottles of Gemstone Ruby Barrel Selection, bottled by premier winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, netted $300,000 charitable auction proceeds for the V Foundation. (Pictured: Jared Silver and Amy Dornbusch)
This year, Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry also debuted new V Foundation brooches made in the Silvers’ Silicon Valley workshops. The brooches were designed to present and honor Founder level donors who have made single donations of over $500,000 to the V Foundation.
“Our family has been through many battles with cancer, so the V Foundation cause has always been extremely close to our heart. We are glad to join with our like-minded partners Chef Michael Mina and the family of Gemstone Vineyard, and together, put our expertise to work to help raise vital funds for immunotherapy research,” said Jared Silver, Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry President.
“Moreover, we hope that the new Founder pins are worn as a badge of honor at future V Foundation events and that they inspire even greater acts of giving in the years to come.”
"We are honored to be able to partner with our friends Michael Mina and the Silvers. The three of us are passionate about fighting cancer and we are all in the business of creating memorable experiences for people,” said Amy Dornbusch, Proprietress of Gemstone Vineyard. “This event is going to be more than memorable, and what a fun way to celebrate life and to support innovative and life-saving cancer research. The jewels, the wine, and of course the incredible cuisine of Chef Mina on our vineyard will be an experience not to be forgotten. There is no better use for our library wines from phenomenal vintages to be shared amongst friends with a common objective."
"I am immensely passionate about and supportive of the life-saving work that V Foundation does," says Award-Winning Chef Michael Mina. "It is an honor to be able to partner with these organizations to support cancer research and contribute to such a vital cause."
For more information on Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry's philanthropic partnerships, visit our Philanthropy page or read Jared Silver's interview in Modern Luxury Silicon Valley.