PAFA’s 16th Annual Bacchanal Wine Gala and Auction Brings 
Jean-Charles Boisset to Philadelphia

Gala and auction to raise over $550,000 to support student scholarships 

PHILADELPHIA (October 31, 2014) - For the sixteenth consecutive year, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) will host Bacchanal. With a 350-guest capacity, the wine gala and auction will celebrate world-renowned winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset and award-winning chef Aimee Olexy of Talula's Garden and Talula's Table.

Bacchanal 2014 will be held on November 8 in PAFA's Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, 128 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, and include wine tastings, silent and live auctions of unique items and travel destinations, a gourmet four-course dinner, and dancing. Hugh Hildesley of Sotheby's, New York, will be the auctioneer for the evening. At this year's Bacchanal, PAFA will honor the passion and joie de vivre of Jean-Charles Boisset.   
 
Bacchanal is PAFA's flagship wine affair, raising over $550,000 annually to support PAFA student scholarships and education programs. Since Bacchanal's inception in 1999, the event has raised over $5 million. This generous support has been invested in the Philadelphia community to promote arts education.   
 
Consistently recognized as the premier wine and auction event in the region, Bacchanal was cited in 2010 by Haute Living magazine as one of the "Five Best Galas in Philadelphia." Bacchanal 2014 is co-chaired by Keith Cox and Lydie Brown de Janosi.   
 
Throughout the week preceding and after the Bacchanal 2014 Gala, a series of exclusive gourmet winemaker dinners will take place in private homes. The public is invited to experience Boisset via two events:
 
Baubles, Bubbly & Boisset
On November 7, designer boutique Joan Shepp will host a free tasting of Jean-Charles Boisset favorite vintages of champagne while viewing Cameron Silver's favorite vintage designer clothing and accessories from Decades of Los Angeles.
 
Boisset Bubbly Brunch Crawl
On November 8, an unforgettable VIP brunch pairs brunch items from Rittenhouse Square's finest chefs with sparkling wines from the JCB Collection. For details and ticket information, visit http://pafa.ticketleap.com/brunchcrawl/
 
Bacchanal 2014 is generously supported by Presenting Sponsor, the Haverford Trust Company; and Lead Sponsor, Kistler Tiffany Benefits. PAFA is authorized to host Bacchanal 2014 by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
 
To inquire about Bacchanal 2014, please contact Judite Morais at jmorais@pafa.org or call 215.972.2037.

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About PAFA:
Founded in 1805, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is America's first School of Fine Arts and Museum. A recipient of the 2005 National Medal of Arts presented by the President of the United States, PAFA is a recognized leader in Fine Arts education. Nearly every major American artist has taught, studied, or exhibited at PAFA. The institution's world-class collection of American art continues to grow and provides what only a few other art institutions in the world offer: the rare combination of an outstanding Museum and an extraordinary faculty known for its commitment to students and for the stature and quality of its artistic work.
About Jean-Charles Boisset:
Jean-Charles Boisset was born into the world of wine in the village of Vougeot, Burgundy, France. His parents, Jean-Claude and Claudine, founded the family winery in 1961 in one of the most traditional winegrowing regions in the world. Today, the family collection includes wineries from Burgundy to the South of France, to California’s Napa Valley and Russian River Valley. Decanter magazine has included Boisset on its “Power List” of the fifty most important people in the wine world each year of its publication since 2007; in December 2008, he was named “Innovator of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.