Santa Rosa, Calif.—The Sonoma Harvest Wine Auction raised a record $4.5 million at Chateau St. Jean winery on Sunday, Sept. 6. The auction, which is part of the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend event, raises funds for multiple charities in Sonoma County. The "Fund the Future" lot, which supports literacy programs raised $1.9 million in 20 minutes of bidding by 180 auction guests, according to a press release by the Sonoma County Vintners group.

The top three winery auction lots were:
• Hamel Family Wines, "Virginia is for Lovers," a multi-bid lot for a private dinner at the Hamel family winery, featuring a menu by Chef Patrick O’Connell and a performance from three-time Grammy-winning musician Bruce Hornsby, sold for $420,000.

• "The Ultimate Super Bowl 50 VIP Experience — Sonoma-style," a combined lot from Benovia Winery, Kosta Browne Wines and the Super Bowl 50 Host Committee, which raised a total of $320,000, by selling twice for $160,000 each.

• "French Escape with Jean-Charles Boisset," by Buena Vista Winery and DeLoach Vineyards, which sold for a total of $300,000 to two bidders, bidding $150,000 each.