Wine lovers raised nearly $1 million dollars for local charities during the annual Sonoma County Wine Celebration and live auction. That’s down from last year’s $1.6 million total, but not unexpected since organizers cut the number of live lots by half from 2024 in an effort to energize and expedite the proceedings. The proceeds will fund children’s literacy initiatives. Since 1988, the auction has raised more than $44 million for nonprofits focusing on education, health services, arts and culture and the environment in Sonoma County.
The three-day event, sponsored by the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, culminated with the live auction on Sept. 20, where more than 200 guests gathered under the white tent on the lawn of Cline Cellars in Sonoma Valley.
It was an ideal Sonoma summer day, sunny and in the low 80s with a cooling Carneros breeze, as bidders arrived. Guests were met with sparkling wine and small bites including caviar and ahi tuna tartare, plus oysters on the half shell and duck confit tostadas. They roamed around under the shade of the towering oaks and palm trees as they sampled wines from a dozen vintners.
Auction Action
Auctioneer John Curley made bidding on the 22 lots lively. When not raising their paddles, guests dined on grilled shrimp, Ibérico pork tenderloin with macerated cherries, and grilled bavette steak with barbecued onion jus. And of course they drank wine—Sonoma County wine…