2026 Live Auction Preview
CIRQ & CHEV
An Unforgettable Three-Night Stay for Four (4) Guests at the Private CIRQ & CHEV Estate, PLUS; A Flood of Russian River Valley Wine with 32 Bottles Total of Varying Size:
12 x [750mL] 2021 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
12 x [750mL] 2022 CHEV Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
The following Bottles are Etched, Custom Engraved and Signed by Sarah & Michael Browne, One Each:
[5L] 2013 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Bootlegger’s Hill
[5L] 2019 CHEV Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
[3L] 2019 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
[3L] 2018 CHEV Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
[1.5L] 2018 CHEV Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
[1.5L] 2017 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
[1.5L] 2014 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Treehouse
[1.5L] 2014 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Bootlegger’s Hill
This exceptional live auction lot combines world-class Russian River Valley Pinot Noir with an exclusive three-night private stay for four guests at the CIRQ & CHEV Estate, owned by acclaimed vintners Sarah and Michael Browne. Offering rare insider access to one of California’s most celebrated Pinot Noir producers, this immersive experience includes a private seated tasting at the estate, a property not open to the public, set among the vineyards and redwood landscapes near Healdsburg. As CIRQ proclaims, “The Russian River Valley is the Garden of Eden. It’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth.”
Complementing this extraordinary getaway is a remarkable collection of CIRQ and CHEV Pinot Noirs spanning multiple vintages and large formats, including etched, custom-engraved, and personally signed bottles by Sarah and Michael Browne.
The centerpiece is the 5-liter 2013 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Bootlegger’s Hill, the first vintage ever produced from this prized vineyard site. Jeb Dunnuck awarded 96 points, calling it “one of the superstar Pinot Noirs from California,” praising its seamless texture, purity of black currant and crème de cassis fruit, integrated oak, and extraordinary finish, with the ability to age 10–15+ years. Vinous rated it 93 points, noting depth, power, and brooding intensity, while Wine Spectator awarded 95 points, highlighting elegance, focus, and lingering, graceful delivery.
Equally impressive is the 5-liter 2019 CHEV Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, CHEV’s flagship expression. Jeb Dunnuck scored 94 points, praising purity, freshness, and graceful medium-bodied structure. James Suckling awarded 93 points, noting ripe strawberry, plum, sweet spice, and excellent length. Vinous rated it 92 points, calling it impeccably refined, silky, and beautifully composed with lifted aromatics and finesse.
From a highly collectible vintage, the 3-liter 2014 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Treehouse Vineyard earned 94 points from Vinous, describing a boisterous yet racy wine layered with black cherry, cola, spice, and menthol with rich texture and resonance. Wine Spectator awarded 92 points, praising plump, juicy fruit and elegant structure. Estate tasting notes highlight aromas of red raspberry, cranberry, rhubarb, and wild herbs, with a palate of dark plum, blackberry, and black licorice supported by juicy acidity and finely grained tannins.
Rounding out the collection, the 3-liter 2014 CIRQ Pinot Noir, Bootlegger’s Hill received 93 points from Vinous, noting sweet tobacco, dried flowers, mint, and orange zest layered over red-toned fruit, describing it as gracious and silky. Wine Spectator awarded 92 points, highlighting its delicate style, fine-grained tannins, and understated cherry and red plum character.
The collection expands further with additional signed magnums and double magnums, plus twelve bottles each of 2021 CIRQ Pinot Noir and 2022 CHEV Pinot Noir, offering exceptional cellar depth and entertaining potential with well over two dozen bottles total.
More than a wine collection, this lot is an invitation into the private world of Sarah and Michael Browne — pairing museum-worthy large formats and critically acclaimed vineyard-designated wines with a rare, intimate estate retreat. With unparalleled access, extraordinary scale, and unforgettable hospitality, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors, hosts, and Pinot Noir enthusiasts alike.
Donor: CIRQ & CHEV by Browne Family Wines
L’Amour du Vin 2026 Featured Artwork
Tiffany Calvert
#464
Oil on Inkjet Print on Canvas
60 x 48 inches
2025
Bridging the tactile language of traditional painting with the cutting edge of emerging technology, acclaimed contemporary artist Tiffany Calvert creates visually arresting works that explore the intersection of gesture, data, and perception. This striking large-scale painting exemplifies Calvert’s signature fusion of analog and digital processes, offering collectors a dynamic and thought-provoking centerpiece from one of today’s most innovative voices in contemporary abstraction.
Calvert’s work is celebrated for its layered visual complexity and energetic mark-making. Renowned art critic John Yau, writing for Hyperallergic, has compared the artist’s “improvisational riffs and fractured views” to the expressive dynamism of Willem de Kooning, highlighting Calvert’s ability to merge spontaneity with structure. Their paintings challenge viewers to navigate between physical and virtual realities, where algorithmic imagery and hand-painted gestures coexist in compelling tension.
For this work, Calvert employed a groundbreaking hybrid process. The foundational imagery printed onto the canvas was generated through a custom machine learning diffusion model developed in collaboration with engineers at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. A precisely cut vinyl stencil was then applied to the surface, creating crisp, deliberate boundaries between reproduced digital imagery and the artist’s expressive painted interventions. The resulting composition pulses with contrast—hard edges meeting fluid gestures, digital precision meeting human improvisation, embodying the evolving dialogue between technology and artistic tradition.
Calvert’s work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with notable presentations at the Lawrimore Project in Seattle, E.TAY Gallery in New York, the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, the Susquehanna Art Museum in Pennsylvania, and Cadogan Contemporary in London. Their distinguished residency history includes the prestigious Djerassi Resident Artists Program, I-Park, and ArtOmi International Arts Center, where Calvert was honored with the Geraldine R. Dodge Fellowship. Additional recognition includes grants from the highly respected Great Meadows Foundation and the Pollock-Krasner Foundation.
In addition to maintaining an active studio practice, Calvert serves as Associate Professor and Chair of the MFA in Visual Art program at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, shaping the next generation of artists while continuing to expand their own influential practice.
This exceptional large-scale painting offers collectors the rare opportunity to acquire a museum-caliber work that captures a pivotal moment in contemporary art, where artificial intelligence, traditional painting, and human intuition converge to create something wholly new.
Donor: Tiffany Calvert
Windy Hill Farm & Preserve
Two-Night Cabin Getaway for Four Guests at the Windy Hill Farm and Preserve, featuring four-course farm-to-table meal from Chef Ben Warwick, Complimentary Activities and L’Amour du Vin wine pairing with Mary Ellen and Steve Brewington
Escape to the peaceful beauty of East Tennessee with this unforgettable two-couple getaway, created especially for supporters of Knoxville Museum of Art’s L’Amour du Vin.
Your group of four guests will enjoy two nights in two private Water Tower Cabins, where modern comfort meets serene natural surroundings. Wake to fresh country air, unwind under star-filled skies, and savor the slower rhythm of farm life. During your stay, indulge in all-included meals and take advantage of complimentary on-property activities designed to help you relax, explore, and reconnect.
The highlight of your retreat awaits one unforgettable evening.
You and your guests will be welcomed into the private riverside residence of Steve Brewington and Mary Ellen Brewington for an intimate wine and dine experience with Executive Chef Ben Warwick. Set beside the gentle flow of the Tennessee River, Chef Ben will prepare a seasonal four-course farm-to-table dinner featuring ingredients sourced from the property and local purveyors.
Throughout the evening, your hosts will share and pair a curated selection of favorite wines from memorable L’Amour du Vin vintners over the years — a celebratory nod to the spirit of the event and the art of gathering around the table.
This is more than a getaway. It’s a chance to slow down, savor exceptional food and wine, and share meaningful time together in a beautiful and private setting.
Dates reserved by mutual agreement with Windy Hill Farm and Preserve. Expires: 02/28/27
Donor: Mary Ellen & Steve Brewington – Windy Hill Farm & Preserve