The Jackson Hole Wine Auction benefiting the Grand Teton Music Festival began in 1995, inspired by the vision of then Board President William D. Weiss. In 1962, the Festival started out like many nascent cultural projects in secluded communities, with a small, inspired staff working out of the founder’s home. As the prominence of the Music Festival grew, so did its financial needs, and as such, Weiss created the first annual Jackson Hole Wine Auction. A long time collector of fine wines, Weiss saw the connection between connoisseurs of great music and special wines and realized that a unique wine auction would attract great interest for both the Music Festival and the Town of Jackson. The first event raised in excess of $265,000 and established the Jackson Hole Wine Auction as a major underwriting vehicle for the expanding needs of the Festival. The event was designed to feature the créme de la créme of prominent national chefs and international vintners, and has attracted a who's who of talent since its inception. Today the vision is carried on by chairmen, Allan Tessler and Gerard Yvernault. With every successive year, the auction continues to grow in prominence and revenue, bringing an epicurean focus to this very special town at the foot of the Teton Mountain Range. Today, the event ranks among the top ten grossing wine auctions in the country according to Wine Spectator magazine.

Every two years, the Jackson Hole Wine Auction presents a multi-day extravaganza of food and wine, where chefs and vintners from around the world gather to present their unique creations at a variety of events. The weekend begins with exclusive tastings and educational events as well as the local’s favorite “Taste of Jackson Hole.” On the following evening pairs of guest chefs and vintners design multi-course menus featuring their talents at intimate dinner parties in some of Jackson Hole’s most beautiful homes. Our esteemed chefs and vintners again showcase their expertise at a gala dinner and auction for more than 600 guests on the final night. Alternate years have featured single day celebrations that are unique in format such as vertical vintage tastings with a keynote winery such as Caymus, Grace Family Vineyard or Penfold's Grange, combined with very limited, exclusive auction offerings. The most recent event in June of 2006 earned over $800,000 to benefit the Grand Teton Music Festival, particularly its community and school outreach programs.

Past honorees, guest chefs and vintners have included: Robert M. Parker, Jr. of The Wine Advocate, Daniel Boulud of Restaurant Daniel, Drew Nieporent of the Myriad Restaurant Group, Gary Danko of Gary Danko, Michel Richard of Citronelle, Marvin Shanken, publisher of Wine Spectator, Georg Riedel of Riedel Crystal, Baron Eric de Rothschild of Château Lafite-Rothschild, Christian Mouiex of Château Petrus, Dick Grace of Grace Family Vineyards and Bill Harlan of Harlan Estate.

As the Jackson Hole Wine Auction grows in prominence, so does its ability to attract the best in chefs, vintners, donors, and guests.