Proceeds Will Continue to Support Children’s Literacy in Our Community
September 25, 2025 (Santa Rosa, CA) — Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) is pleased to announce that this year’s Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) has raised nearly $1 million. The proceeds will fund children’s literacy initiatives, with a key focus being on K-3 Innovation’s K-3 Proficiency Project. Since the auction’s inception more than $44 million has been raised for nonprofits in Sonoma County.
Bricoleur Vineyards hosted the SCWC Welcome Reception and Rooted Insider Experience on Friday, September 19, at their stunning venue followed by two Dine-Around Dinners. An Evening in Carneros at Gloria Ferrer featured their wines along with Donum Estate and Cline Family Cellars, paired with delicious dishes to highlight the unique character of Carneros. From sparkling wines to elegant Pinot Noir and richly layered Rhône varietals, the winemakers and estate representatives shared insights behind each wine. The Vine to Table dinner at The Matheson spotlighted the wines of Aperture Cellars, Bob Cabral Wines, Browne Family Wines (Home of CIRQ & CHEV), Pride Mountain Vineyards, and Valette Wines paired with a masterful four-course dinner crafted by Chef Dustin Valette. Another Dine-Around Dinner with a New Orleans inspired theme was hosted by Flambeaux Wine on Thursday evening at their vineyard estate in Dry Creek Valley and featured select wines from their family’s personal cellar paired with a variety of traditional Louisiana dishes prepared by Chef Gareth Owens of Parish Café.
More than 200 guests were seated under the auction tent on the spectacular grounds of Cline Family Cellars on Saturday, September 20, for the SCWC Live Auction. Auctioneer John Curley led this year’s auction, presenting 22 live lots and engaging bidders across the tent with his signature energetic style.
The highest selling lot of the day was Lot #21, VIP Access to the 2026 Sonoma County Wine Celebration, purchased by the SCWC head table group from Tulsa, OK, with their commemorative anniversary golden paddle for $25,000.
Lot #13, Wine & Dine With Sonoma County’s Leading Ladies, sold for $22,000 to Phil Carlucci who sentimentally purchased the lot as a gift for the head table in recognition of their 20 years of support for the live auction. The perennial favorite features lunch for 12 guests hosted at the MacRostie Estate House with 18 prominent women from the region’s wine industry, paired with a selection of wines from each of their wineries.
Lot #15, Ultimate Knights Valley Experience, was doubled for two lucky winning bidders at $14,500 each, raising a total of $29,000. A collaboration between Knights Bridge Winery, Linked Vineyards and Brandon Gregory Estate, guests will experience Knights Valley like never before with the ultimate curated package of wine and experiences for four couples over four days. It includes a stay at the Bailey Vineyard House on the Knights Bridge Estate for three nights, tours and tastings at all three properties, and a special Knights Valley wine dinner featuring all three wineries.
The last live auction lot of the event was the annual Fund-A-Need Paddle Raise, presented in partnership with TricorBraun WinePak, which raised a total of $590,000 to provide impactful assistance for children’s education and literacy. Guests watched a moving video from this year’s key beneficiary, K-3 Innovation, which outlined the success and growth of their K-3 Proficiency Project since last year’s impactful donation from the 2024 SCWC paddle raise.
Gary Nelson, Co-Founder of K-3 Innovation, addressed the auction guests and pledged to match up to $250,000 in donations. “I am honored beyond words that the Sonoma County Vintners has chosen us for the second year in a row to be the primary beneficiary of your generosity. The K-3 Proficiency Project is working,” said Nelson. “It’s delivering results. Teachers, administrators, parents and kids are all excited about this remarkable program. Thanks to you we have expanded the number of schools. But we’re just getting started. We need to continue the momentum. We need to make sure that hundreds more of our kids can read at grade level by the time they leave third grade.”
Support throughout the auction tent for this year’s Fund-A-Need began with very generous donations of $50,000, made by Jim & Kelley Bailey of Knights Bridge Winery; Phil Carlucci from Melville, NY; and Whitney Evans from Sonoma, CA. Donors contributing $25,000 raised their paddles next including the Foley Family of Foley Family Wines & Spirits; the Jackson Family of Jackson Family Wines; and Steve and Mike Sangiacomo on behalf of the Sangiacomo Family. Paddles continued to be raised for donations ranging from $15,000 to $500 from live auction guests, with additional donations continuing to be received after the event.
The Wine Business Leadership Award was presented to Alexandra O’Gorman, Vice President of Community Relations at Foley Family Wines & Spirits, during this year’s auction event by Damien Wilson, Faculty Director of Sonoma State’s Wine Business Institute (WBI). The award, created in partnership between Sonoma County Vintners and WBI, recognizes an individual annually who demonstrates great wine business leadership, vision, innovation, inspiration and impactful service to the Sonoma County community.
Michael Haney, General Manager of Browne Family Wines who recently stepped down from his position as Executive Director from Sonoma County Vintners after serving 11 years, was also honored. Both he and Alexandra were presented with certificates of special congressional recognition by Congressman Mike Thompson, and on behalf of Congressman Jared Huffman, for their years of service to the Sonoma County wine community. “These two are most deserving of this,” said Thompson. “They have had so much to do with the success of the wine community in Sonoma County.” He went on to share his thoughts about the SCWC events and attendees, “This is a community that not only makes fantastic wine, not only does great work that is important to our community, our economy, and the environment in which we live, but this is a community that gives back.”
To learn more about the Sonoma County Wine Celebration, or to make a donation directly to Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, please visit SonomaWine.com/Foundation.
2025 Sonoma County Wine Celebration K3 Innovation Fund-A-Need Update
About Sonoma County Wine Celebration
Sonoma County Wine Celebration brings the region’s renowned winemakers and growers together with distinguished collectors and generous bidders for an opportunity to acquire some of Sonoma County’s top wines and bid on incredible travel experiences. Named one of the nation’s top charitable auctions by Wine Spectator, the proceeds raised benefit local Sonoma County charitable organizations. Since its inception, the auction has raised millions of dollars to support more nonprofits than any other fundraising event in Sonoma County. Learn more at SoCoWineCelebration.com.
About Sonoma County Vintners Foundation
Sonoma County Vintners Foundation provides support to the local community through philanthropy and charitable giving. Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) is an accredited 501c(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1988. Its purpose is to consistently support local nonprofit organizations that address issues within the Sonoma County community. SCVF cultivates a vibrant and diverse Sonoma County by elevating lives through charitable events and philanthropic giving. Learn more at SonomaWine.com/Foundation.
About Cline Family Cellars
Founded in 1982 by Fred Cline in Oakley, California, Cline Family Cellars began with grapes from historic plantings dating back to the 1880s. In 1989, the winery relocated to Sonoma-Carneros, where the Cline family expanded their vineyards and raised their seven children. Today, Cline sustainably farms over 1,000 acres across Sonoma and Contra Costa counties, integrating solar power, water conservation, and regenerative practices. Certified California Sustainable and Sonoma County Sustainable, Cline remains family-owned, committed to quality, and focused on preserving the land for future generations. Learn more at ClineCellars.com.
About K-3 Proficiency Project
A staggering 59% of third-grade students are not reading proficiently in Sonoma County. Becoming a proficient reader by the end of third grade is critical as it marks the transition from learning-to-read, to reading-to-learn. K-3 Innovation, a local non-profit organization, started the K-3 Proficiency Project (K-3PP) with the mission of helping get every student reading proficiently by the end of third grade. K-3PP partners with Sonoma County schools to support teachers in kindergarten to third grade (K-3) classrooms. Students use adaptive online reading programs, while trained assistants help teachers provide small group targeted instruction based on student performance data. Schools implementing K-3PP report 80% of students reading within/at/above grade level by the end of third grade based on 2025 Star Reading Assessment results. Learn more at K-3Innovation.org.
