Annual Event Has Provided Critical Funding for More Than 430 Sonoma County Nonprofits
SANTA ROSA, CA (October 1, 2024) – Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) is pleased to announce that its newly reimagined Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) has raised nearly $1.6 million. These proceeds will continue to fund SCVF Community Grants for nonprofit organizations in the areas of education & literacy, health & human services, the environment, and arts & culture as well as the Emergency Relief Fund. The SCWC Live Auction was held at the beautiful Chateau St. Jean on September 21. Since the auction’s inception more than $43 million has been raised, directly benefiting the Sonoma County community.
“Our SCWC guests, vintners and partners were thrilled by our new event format this year,” said Michael Haney, Sonoma County Vintners Foundation Executive Director. “We had more attendees, more auction lots and a wider range of experiences for more community members to get involved. We were delighted to welcome new faces from out of the area to these events, as well as many great returning supporters to help us raise funds for our important SCVF initiatives.”
This year’s Welcome Reception at Vintners Resort and extraordinary Dine-Around Showdown Dinners were held on Thursday, September 19 to kick off the SCWC events. The dinner experiences were hosted with ‘Sonoma Valley, Family Style’ at Laurel Glen Vineyard, Talisman Wine and Glen Ellen Star with Bedrock Wine Co., Sangiacomo Family Vineyards and Three Sticks Wines, and ‘A Perfect Score’ hosted at The Matheson with Valette Wines, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Lombardi Wines, and Kobler Estate Winery.
The Insider Wine Tours held on Friday, September 20, are sure to become a new favorite feature of SCWC. Guests got a behind-the-scenes look at SingleThread Farms as well as special experiences and pours at Amista Vineyards with Dry Creek Vineyard, Mauritson Wines, Ridge Vineyards and an al fresco lunch at Quivira Vineyards with Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley during their AVA tour. In Sonoma Valley, tour guests enjoyed a tasting at Sangiacomo Family Vineyards with Auteur Wines, Saintsbury, and Sojourn Cellars, and an art tour and wine paired lunch at Donum. Another tour spotlighted West Sonoma Coast Vintners at Black Kite Cellars with Cobb Wines, Ernest Vineyards, Freeman Vineyard & Winery, Hirsch Vineyards, Senses Wines, and Whistler Vineyards, followed by a vineyard tour, private tasting and picnic lunch at Small Vines.
Sugarloaf Wine Co. hosted Wine Country Nights: Boots, Bottles and Bites in the evening on Friday, September 20. Partygoers donned their favorite cowboy boots and western gear for an evening of exceptional wine, food and live music. The festivities included a Best Boots contest, a BBQ Showdown, sips from Sonoma County wineries, live country music from Max Vogel & The Pickups and line dancing demonstrations.
More than 230 guests were welcomed under the auction tent at Chateau St. Jean on Saturday, September 21 and treated to a performance by students from the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Mariachi Ensemble and Ballet Folklórico program.
The highest selling lot of the day was Lot #20, The (Wine) Revolution Starts Here, selling for $150,000. It featured a distinctive collection of 230 bottles of renowned Sonoma Valley wines in 3-liter, magnum (1.5L) and 750ml bottle formats. This instant cellar included library and special selection wines from Arrowood Winery, Buena Vista Winery, Chateau St. Jean, Hamel Family Wines, Hanzell Vineyards, Kistler Vineyards, Laurel Glen Vineyard, Patz & Hall, Sebastiani, and Three Sticks Wines.
Actor Harry Hamlin and his niece, Renee Guilbault, chef and CEO of The Open Food Company, joined Donald Patz from Maritana Vineyards onstage to share more about Lot #7 entitled Harry Hamlin: The King of Bolognese Dinner. The lot was sold twice for a total of $60,000. The two lucky winners will have Harry, Donald, and Donald’s wife, Jung Min Lee, come to their homes to prepare a complete dinner featuring Harry’s famous Bolognese sauce paired with wines selected by Donald Patz. They will also receive 60 bottles of a special cuvée of 2023 Pinot Noir by Maritana Vineyards, created by Harry Hamlin and Donald Patz exclusively for this auction lot.
Back by popular demand, Lot #11, The Farmer, Butcher, Chef, and a Unicorn, was so popular that the lot was doubled again this year at $16,000 each, for a total of $32,000. The lot includes an insider dining experience for 10 guests with Duskie Estes, and her husband, John Stewart, at MacBryde Farm in Forestville. The dinner will be prepared by 2024 SCWC Chef Honorees, Mark and Terri Stark, Founders of Stark Reality Restaurants, and paired with unicorn wines from the Three Sticks Monopole vineyards, with featured selections by Co-founder and General Manager Prema Kerollis.
Sonoma County’s world class wines, wineries and restaurants were the stars of the auction, with two guests bidding $10,000 each on Lot #3 Silver Oak Vineyard Tour and Lunch. One lucky $20,000 bidder took home Lot #10 Epic Russian River Valley Getaway and Library Collection, featuring a stay at the Browne Family Estate with experiences and wines from CIRQ and CHEV. Lot #30 Somm Stars and Goodnight’s Prime Steak + Spirits Sunday Supper also went for $20,000. The lot included an intimate five-course, wine-paired dinner for six guests at Goodnight’s Prime Steak + Spirits in Healdsburg, a stay at Hotel Les Mars, and a parting gift of one bottle of Charles Goodnight Whiskey for each guest.
The highest selling buy-in lot of the day was Lot #14, Animo + Golden Bear Station and More! Ten couples paid $7,000 each to savor treats from Joshua Smookler and Heidy He’s latest restaurant concept called Golden Bear Station, combined with favorites from Animo, in a four-course menu expertly paired with Three Sticks and Hamel Family wines. The lot raised a total of $70,000.
The Fund-A-Need Paddle Raise, presented in partnership with longtime sponsor TricorBraun WinePak, is a powerful collective giving opportunity that raises money annually for children’s education and literacy. After remarks from Óscar Chávez, CEO and President of Community Foundation Sonoma County, as well as Dr. Amie Carter, Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools, guests viewed a moving video message from one of this year’s Fund-A-Need beneficiary partners, K-3 Innovation, regarding the need for literacy proficiency for Sonoma County third-graders. The paddle raise resulted in more than $760,000. Gary Nelson, Co-Founder of K-3 Innovation, and his wife Marcia kicked off support for this year’s Fund-A-Need by making a donation of $100,000, followed by a very generous anonymous donor adding a $300,000 contribution. The Foley Family raised their paddle next, contributing $50,000. Multiple supporters raised their paddles to give back at the $25,000 level including: Alan Seidenfeld, Bank of Marin, Donnelly Family Foundation, Gallo Family, Jackson Family, Klein Family & Rodney Strong Vineyards, and Sangiacomo Family. Paddles continued to be raised for donations ranging from $10,000 to $250 from live auction guests, with additional donations continuing to come in post-event.
Sonoma County Vintners Foundation (SCVF) recognized the 2024 Sonoma County Wine Celebration (SCWC) honorees before the live auction got underway. Third generation Sonoma County farmers, the Sangiacomo Family, were recognized as the SCWC Vintner and Grower Honorees. Terri & Mark Stark, Founders of Stark Reality Restaurants, were recognized as the SCWC Chef Honorees. The Wine Business Leadership Award was given to Nate Weis, Vice President of Winegrowing at Silver Oak and Twomey, during this year’s SCWA. The award, created in partnership between Sonoma County Vintners and The Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University, recognizes an individual annually who demonstrates great wine business leadership, vision, innovation, inspiration and impactful service to the Sonoma County community.
To learn more about the Sonoma County Wine Celebration, make a donation directly to Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, and to see the 2024 recipients of the SCVF Community Grants distribution to 35 nonprofits, please visit sonomawine.com/foundation.
The 2025 Sonoma County Wine Celebration will be held on September 18-20.###Please see our online library for downloadable images for photos of previous auction events.
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 help fund charitable organizations focusing on literacy, education, health & human services, the environment, arts & culture, and has supported 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. Fundraising efforts have a direct impact in the areas of education & literacy, health & human services, the environment and arts & culture. With SCVF’s many initiatives including the Emergency Relief Fund, the organization is able to impact all needs, ranging from the immediate to the long term. Learn more at sonomawine.com/foundation.
About Foley Family Wines & Spirits
Established by Bill Foley in 1996, Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) is a portfolio of highly acclaimed wines and spirits from some of the world’s greatest estates. The company owns more than 24 wineries and a distillery, each with its distinct style, legacy, and approach to hospitality. FFWS has expanded its portfolio significantly since its founding, now including such storied brands as Chalk Hill Estate Winery, Sebastiani, Roth, Banshee, Ferrari-Carano, Chateau St. Jean, and Lancaster in Sonoma; Merus, Silverado, and Foley Johnson in Napa Valley; Lincourt, Firestone, and Foley Estates in Southern California; Chalone Vineyard in Monterey County; Four Graces and Acrobat in Oregon; and Three Rivers in Washington. FFWS’s import wines include Lucien Albrecht in France, Nieto Senetiner in Argentina, and 14 wine brands spanning three of New Zealand’s most acclaimed winegrowing regions: Marlborough, Central Otago, and Martinborough. The growing global spirits portfolio includes High Ground Vodka, Charles Goodnight Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, New Zealand’s Lighthouse Gin, El Mexicano Tequila, the Loch Lomond Group portfolio of Scotch and spirits, and Two Stacks and Killowen Irish Whisky. Learn more at ffws.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. Star Reading Assessment results from participating schools show dramatic improvement year-after-year. Learn more at K-3 Innovation.
