Harvest wine auction sets fundraising record

The 15th annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction raised $1.2 million over the Labor Day weekend, with the proceeds going to local nonprofits such as the Valley of the Moon Boys & Girls Club, F.I.S.H. and the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation. The first $600,000 was raised Friday and Saturday at the sold-out Palate dinner extravaganza at the Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa and the first-ever Taste of Sonoma, which was held Saturday afternoon in Depot Park, with the remainder raised yesterday at the signature event.

Some 600 ticket- and paddle-holders attended Sunday’s auction at Cline Cellars, where the event’s Wild West-inspired theme was “Is that a Magnum in your holster or are you just happy to be in Sonoma Valley?”

Highlights of the always-entertaining and often ribald auction included: Ramona Nicholson and Deepak Gulrajani performing a Bollywood-style dance number; sommelier Christopher Sawyer lip-syncing Willie Nelson ballads; Suzy Fridell and the rest of the Magnum 44 Force performing a skit; and Vic McWilliams, winemaker and founder of Castle Vineyards & Winery. introducing his auction lot, “A 12-Gauge Salute to the Sangiacomos.”

Among the top lots was the Benziger Family Winery’s offering of a fully-loaded Prius along with a $1,200 gas card, which went for $42,000 to winning bidders Georgia and Greg Windisch and Rick and Lori Miron.

Last year’s auction netted $525,580 for Sonoma Valley charities.