TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Updated on 7/10/2026.
  1. Applicability. These Terms and Conditions apply to the following Northwest Wine Benefit Foundation dba Auction of Washington Wines (“AWW”) events: the Online Auction (“Online Auction”), the Winemaker Picnic (“Picnic”), and the Gala (the “Gala”, and together with the Online Auction and Picnic, the “Auction”) and govern behavior of all Participants (as defined below). 

  2. Registration and Eligibility. The Online Auction will occur virtually on an online platform. The Picnic and the Gala will occur in person. Each attendee at the Auction (“Attendee”) desiring to bid on an auction lot (“Lot”) (each, a “Bidder”) must first register to bid and provide accurate and complete contact information sought in the registration process. ALL PARTICIPANTS (AS DEFINED BELOW) MUST BE TWENTY-ONE (21) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. All wines shall only be sold and delivered to persons aged twenty-one (21) or older. 

  3. Bidding Procedures. As to all Lots offered at the Online Auction, the bidding will close for a given Lot at the time specified on AWW’s website, www.auctionofwawines.org (“Website”)  (the “Closure of Online Bidding”).  All Lots at the Picnic and the Gala (collectively, the “Live Auction Events”) will be auctioned live by a professional auctioneer (the “Auctioneer”). The Auctioneer is the agent of AWW. As to all Lots offered at the Live Auction Events, the bidding will close for a given Lot upon the fall of the Auctioneer’s hammer (the “Closure of Live Bidding”). 

  4. Bidding Rules; Images. AWW shall establish a minimum bid on all Lots. AWW reserves the right to withdraw any Lot prior to the call for bids, and to bid on any Lot on its own behalf. AWW and the Auctioneer shall have the right to reject a bid at any time prior to the Sale (as defined below), and to reject any advance deemed insufficient in the sole discretion of AWW or the Auctioneer. A bid constitutes a legal offer to buy. At the Live Auction Events, no bid shall be valid unless acknowledged by the Auctioneer. In the event multiple Bidders place an acknowledged bid on a particular Lot for identical amounts, the Auctioneer shall award the Lot to the Bidder first placing the bid. Should a dispute arise between Bidders, or should the Auctioneer,  in their sole discretion, doubt the validity of any bid, the Auctioneer shall have the absolute right to resolve the dispute, re-offer, re-sell or withdraw the Lot in question. Items depicted in any photograph, video, graphic, audio recording or other pictorial or audio-graphic depiction (collectively, “Image”) at the Auction are for illustrative purposes only and may not depict the actual item in a given Lot. Participants shall not reproduce, redistribute, transmit, assign, sell, broadcast, rent, share, lend, modify, adapt, edit, create derivative works of, sublicense, or otherwise transfer or use any Image without AWW’s prior written approval. 

  5. Intellectual Property. All content, materials, and information displayed, published, or distributed in connection with the Auction, including, without limitation, the catalog for each Auction event (“Catalog”), the Website, all Lot descriptions, Images, photographs, videos, graphics, audio recordings, text, data, software, logos, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, and other intellectual property of AWW (collectively, “AWW IP”) are and shall remain the sole and exclusive property of AWW or its licensors. No Participant shall acquire any right, title, or interest in or to any AWW IP by virtue of participation in the Auction or purchase of any Lot, except for the limited personal, non-commercial, non-transferable right to view the Catalog and Website solely for the purpose of participating in the Auction. All rights not expressly granted herein are reserved by AWW. Without AWW’s prior written approval, Participant shall not: (a) use the names “Auction of Washington Wines,” “AWW,” or any related trademark, service mark, logo, or trade dress of AWW, or any confusingly similar variation thereof, in any advertising, promotional materials, social media posts, press releases, or other public communications; (b) state or imply any endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation by or with AWW; (c) register, apply for, or claim ownership of any domain name, social media handle, trademark, or other identifier that incorporates or is confusingly similar to any AWW IP; (d) challenge or assist any third party in challenging AWW’s ownership of, or the validity of, any AWW IP; (e) copy, scrape, crawl, data-mine, harvest, or use any automated means to access, collect, or extract any content or data from the Website or Catalog; (f) frame, mirror, or deep-link to any portion of the Website or Catalog; (g) reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any software or technology underlying the Website; or (h) interfere with, disrupt, or place an unreasonable burden on the Website or its infrastructure. Any unauthorized access to or use of the Website or AWW IP may result in the immediate suspension or termination of Participant’s access to the Auction and all related events. Each Participant agrees that any breach or threatened breach of this Section may cause AWW irreparable harm for which monetary damages would be an inadequate remedy, and that AWW shall be entitled to seek injunctive or other equitable relief without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting a bond or other security. 

  6. Confidentiality. Each Participant acknowledges that, in connection with registration and participation in the Auction, they may receive or have access to confidential or proprietary information of AWW, including, without limitation, reserve prices, donor identities, bidder lists, internal auction strategies, and other non-public information (collectively, “Confidential Information”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include information that: (a) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of Participant’s breach of this Section; (b) was known to the relevant Participant on a non-confidential basis prior to its disclosure by AWW; (c) becomes available to the relevant Participant on a non-confidential basis from a source other than AWW, provided that such source is not bound by a confidentiality obligation to the AWW with respect to such information; or (d) is independently developed by the relevant Participant without reference to or use of any Confidential Information. No Participant shall disclose, publish, or disseminate any Confidential Information to any third party, or use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than participation in the Auction, without AWW’s prior written approval. This confidentiality obligation shall survive the conclusion of the Auction and shall remain in effect indefinitely. 

  7. Sale of Lots. At the Closure of Online Bidding or the Closure of Live Bidding (as applicable), the Bidder submitting the highest acknowledged bid (“Buyer”) shall be deemed to have purchased the offered Lot in accordance with these Terms and Conditions (the “Sale”). All Sales shall be made between Buyer and AWW. 

  8. Sales Policy. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. All Sales shall occur in Washington State. Except as set forth herein, (a) title and risk of loss of all goods included in a Lot shall pass to Buyer in Washington State upon the Sale; (b) Buyer may not exchange or receive a refund for any Lot; and (c) Buyer has an obligation to pick-up or arrange for shipment of the Lot within thirty (30) days of the Sale, at Buyer’s sole expense. If Buyer does not cause any purchased Lot to be picked up or shipped to Buyer within one (1) year of the Sale, such Lot and all amounts paid for such Lot will be converted to a tax-deductible donation to AWW. 

  9. Lot Utilization. All Lots involving gift certificates, products, travel, trips, meals, hotel/resort stays, experiences, or other similar services and activities (“Experiential Lots”) must be utilized no later than August 15, 2027, unless otherwise specified. If Buyer fails to timely utilize a purchased Experiential Lot, such Lot and all amounts paid for such Lot will be converted to a tax-deductible donation to AWW. Buyer agrees that its failure to timely utilize any such Experiential Lot does not constitute damages arising out of or related to Buyer’s purchase or use of such Experiential Lot, and in such case, Buyer shall not be entitled to any refund or exchange for such Lot. All taxes, alcoholic beverages (other than wine expressly identified in the applicable Lot), and gratuities are not included within the Lot, and are the sole responsibility of Buyer.  

  10. Travel, Dining, and Experiences.  Unless otherwise specified, (a) restaurant certificates included within a Lot do not include alcoholic beverages, taxes, or gratuities; (b) travel and hotel/resort stays included within a Lot are based on availability; (c) reservations for all trips, experiences, and meals included within a Lot must be mutually arranged between Buyer and the donor of such Lot; and (d) all such arrangements for trips and similar events included within a Lot must be made at least one (1) month in advance. Other conditions may apply and may be noted within Lot instructions or additional documentation.  

  11. Out-of-State Shipments. For each Lot including wine sold to a Buyer residing or located outside of Washington State, the producing winery licensee (the “Producer”) shall retain title, possession and control of said Lot until shipment or delivery to Buyer. Buyer acknowledges that applicable laws may (a) prohibit or otherwise limit Producer’s shipment of wine to persons or entities in Buyer’s state, including, but not limited to, those laws pertaining to licensing, distribution, and direct-to-consumer shipments; and (b) require Producer to ship the Lot through distribution channels in Buyer’s state. It is Buyer’s responsibility to confirm that any purchased wine included in a Lot may be shipped to Buyer’s state of residence or location prior to bidding on such Lot, including through review of the Catalog, Website, and other available sources regarding the Producer of such Lot. In its sole discretion, AWW may rescind any sale to a Buyer licensed in a state in which Producer is not authorized to ship wine. Upon any such rescission, Buyer’s sole remedy is to convert the Lot and any amount paid for such Lot into a tax-deductible donation to AWW. Buyer agrees that such requirement does not constitute damages arising out of or related to Buyer’s purchase or use of such Lot, and Buyer shall not be entitled to any refund or exchange of such Lot. 

  12. Disclaimer of Warranties; Limitation of Liability. ALL WINE IS SOLD “AS IS.” TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AWW DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Without limiting the foregoing, AWW neither warrants nor represents, and shall in no event be responsible for the quality of the wine or the correctness of the Catalog or the Website, including, without limitation, description, rarity, age, genuineness, provenance, quality, quantity, or condition of any Lot. All statements by AWW, the Auctioneer, and/or the relevant donor are merely statements of opinion and shall not be relied upon by Participant as representations or warranties of fact. No statement contained in the Catalog or Website, or in other verbal or written statements, shall be deemed a warranty, representation, or assumption of liability. AWW shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or injury caused by or attributable to AWW or its officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives, or donors, except to the extent resulting from AWW’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. Participant hereby waives all rights to indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages in any way arising out of or relating to the Auction, including, without limitation, any damages relating to or arising from attendance at the Auction, one or more bids, the purchase or use of a Lot, unavailability or non-functionality of the Website, or non-delivery, product liability, inaccurate descriptions, inadequacy, or failure of a Lot, in each instance whether or not such damage occurs or is discovered before or after delivery of the Lot. Except as otherwise set forth herein, Buyer’s exclusive remedy for any damages arising out of or related to Buyer’s purchase or use of a Lot is a refund of the purchase price actually paid, and AWW’s total aggregate liability shall not exceed such amount. As a condition precedent to any remedy, Buyer must provide written notice of a claim to AWW at aww@aoww.org within thirty (30) calendar days of discovery, and Buyer’s failure to timely provide such written notice constitutes a waiver of Buyer’s claim. 

  13. Post-Auction Wines. For any Lot including wine that, at the time of Sale, remains unbottled (the “Post-Auction Wines”), Buyer understands and agrees that (a) the Lots do not include the barrel or any storage container, other than a bottle; and (b) the Post-Auction Wines may be bottled in specially labeled bottles, in Producer’s sole discretion. Each Lot will be bottled by Producer in 750 ml bottles, unless otherwise specified. Producer retains sole discretion to determine when the wine will be bottled and delivered to Buyer. Buyer has no right to take possession of the Lot until receipt of the Notification (as defined below), and has no right of inspection pending receipt of the Notification. AWW shall notify Buyer when the Lot is ready for delivery (the “Notification”). Buyer agrees to accept delivery of the Lot at Producer’s licensed premises within sixty (60) days of issuance of the Notification. If Buyer does not cause any purchased Post-Auction Wine to be picked up or shipped to Buyer within one (1) year of Buyer’s receipt of the Notification, such Post-Auction Wine and all amounts paid for such Post-Auction Wine will be converted to a tax-deductible donation to AWW. Title and risk of loss for the Post-Auction Wines shall pass to Buyer upon delivery FOB Producer’s licensed premises. Shipping expenses and insurance are the sole responsibility of Buyer, who is solely responsible for compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Buyer agrees that the sale and delivery of any wine offered at this or any future event hosted by AWW shall not affect the rights of Producer to sell its own wines direct-to-consumer or to the distributor of Producer’s choosing in Buyer’s state. A Buyer residing or located in a state where a Producer of Post-Auction Wine is not authorized to ship wine shall comply with Section 11 of this Agreement for all Post-Auction Wine.  

  14. Assignment. The right to take possession of a Lot shall not be assigned or transferred by Buyer without AWW’s prior written approval, which may be withheld or delayed in AWW’s sole discretion. 

  15. Point of Contact. AWW shall serve as the point of contact between Producer and Buyer, unless otherwise specified. 

  16. Payment. Participants must provide valid credit card information at the time of registration or check in. AWW shall invoice Buyer for all Lots that are the result of a Sale to such Buyer, and Buyer shall pay for all Lots resulting from an applicable Sale, immediately upon the conclusion of the Auction, unless otherwise mutually agreed. Payment for all purchases must be made in United States dollars in cash or by check, MasterCard, Visa, or American Express. Payment by credit card will incur a 3.5% processing fee. AWW and its payment processors do not retain credit or payment card details beyond the immediate transaction requested by Participants. Pursuant to federal law, a Donor Advised Fund (“DAF”) may not be used to purchase any Lot, whether in whole or in part. DAF distributions may be used for “Raise the Paddle” donations, as no goods or services are provided in exchange for said donations. Participants are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors before utilizing DAF distributions at the Auction and are solely responsible for ensuring that their DAF distributions comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. 

  17. Participants; Media Release. The Auction is an event publicized through many forms of media. As a condition of and in consideration for participation in the Auction, all Attendees, Bidders, and Buyers (collectively, “Participants”) hereby grant permission to and release AWW and its agents of any liability connected with the reproduction, adaption, display, publication, and/or distribution in any and all media, whether now known or yet to be developed, of any videos, photographs, or other images taken of participation at the Auction, Participant’s name, voice, likeness, city of residence, and any other information regarding any Participant’s participation in the Auction. 

  18. Privacy; Participant Content. By registering for or participating in the Auction, each Participant consents to AWW’s collection, use, storage, and processing of such Participant’s personal information, including, without limitation, name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, credit card information, and bidding history (collectively, “Registration Data”), for the purposes of administering the Auction, processing transactions, AWW’s business or organizational purposes, including compliance obligations, and communicating with Participant regarding Lots and future AWW events. AWW shall maintain commercially reasonable safeguards to protect Registration Data and shall not sell Registration Data to unaffiliated third parties; provided, however, that AWW may share Registration Data with its agents, service providers, Producers, and event partners solely as necessary to fulfill the foregoing purposes. AWW’s collection and use of Registration Data is further subject to AWW’s privacy policy, available at the Website, as may be updated from time to time. Additionally, each Participant hereby grants to AWW a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, and display any content, photographs, videos, testimonials, reviews, or social media posts created by such Participant in connection with or referencing the Auction, any Lot, or AWW (collectively, “Participant Content”) in any and all media for any purpose, including, without limitation, marketing, advertising, and promotional purposes. Each Participant hereby represents and warrants that such Participant has all necessary rights to grant the foregoing license. No Participant shall create, publish, or distribute any Participant Content that is defamatory, disparaging, misleading, or otherwise harmful to AWW, its agents, donors, sponsors, service providers, or partners. 

  19. Compliance with Law. All sales of wine are subject to applicable state and federal laws, including, without limitation, the regulations of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and the United States Department of the Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. 

  20. Indemnification. Each Participant hereby agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AWW, its officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, donors, sponsors, vendors, partners, and affiliates (collectively, “AWW Indemnitees”) from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, suits, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) such Participant’s breach of any provision of these Terms and Conditions, including, without limitation, the intellectual property, confidentiality, data privacy, and content provisions set forth herein; (b) such Participant’s violation of any applicable law or regulation; (c) any Participant Content from such Participant; and/or (d) such Participant’s acts or omissions in connection with the Auction or AWW. This indemnification obligation shall survive the conclusion of the Auction and any expiration or termination of such Participant’s access to the Auction or the Website. 

  21. Governing Law; Jurisdiction. These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Washington, excluding any laws pertaining to conflicts of law. Each Participant submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Washington State superior courts, with venue located in King County, Washington. The substantially prevailing party shall be entitled to recover attorneys’ fees and costs. 

  22. Resale Restrictions. AWW assumes no responsibility for any Lot purchased and either re-sold or re-donated to another event and discourages this practice in consideration of its donors. Except for wine purchased by wine retailer Buyers, items may not be re-sold at public sales or for a profit by any individual or business. Doing so may restrict the right of any person or entity to participate in future AWW events. 

  23. Entire Agreement; Amendments. These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire terms and conditions with respect to the Auction. AWW reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time, whether via written amendment or by oral announcement by an AWW authorized representative during the Auction or otherwise. By registering or participating, each Participant hereby agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, as may be amended from time to time. 
AUCTION OF WASHINGTON WINES

2200 6th Ave Suite 411
Seattle, WA 98121
(206) 741-0212

aww@aoww.org

OUR MISSION

The Northwest Wine Benefit Foundation, DBA Auction of Washington Wines, is committed to supporting the growth and awareness of the Washington state wine industry through a series of celebrated events benefiting our community. We have raised more than $76 million since our inception in 1988. 

The Auction of Washington Wines is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or familial status.

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