Exceeding expectations of Napa Valley Vintners in the current economic slump, attendees at Saturday’s midwinter auction spent close to $1.5 million on wines blended just for the wine trade.

Restaurateurs, retailers and wholesalers turned out in large numbers for the 13th annual Premiere Napa Valley, conducted Saturday afternoon at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena.

While auction revenues fell short of last year’s $2.2 million, a spokesman for the local trade association said the membership was “thrilled” with both the turnout and the bottom line. The current economic state had worried local vintners that auction attendees would bid gingerly on the 200 unique lots.

Although some lots failed to attract big spenders, a couple of them did command go-for-broke prices — both lots from relatively new kids on the enological block.

Five cases of specially blended Scarecrow 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon — called Toto’s Opium Dream by winemaker Celia Masyczek — received a top bid of $80,000.

Five cases of Ovid 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon — specially blended in concrete tanks at the Pritchard Hill estate by winemakers Andy Erickson and Austin Peterson — drew a top bid of $42,000.

Both lots were purchased by Nakagawa Wine Company of Tokyo, Japan.

Complete details of 2009 Premiere Napa Valley will appear in Friday’s wine section of the Napa Valley Register.