Santa Rosa, Calif.—The Sonoma County Vintners Foundation raised more than $5.7 million at the 2018 Sonoma County Wine Auction. The Fund-A-Need paddle raise, dedicated to raising funds for Sonoma County housing solutions, raised $2.5 million. The live auction was held at La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard on Sept. 22, and was the culmination of a three-day event in Sonoma County, which also included a revival-themed kick-off party at Paradise Ridge and several vintner dinners hosted throughout the county. Paradise Ridge winery was destroyed in the October 2017 wildfires. 

“We are thrilled with the results of this year’s auction and are grateful to our generous bidders, wine community, sponsors, donors, and volunteers for their support and participation in this event,” said Michael Haney, Sonoma County Vintners executive director in a statement released by the group. “Every year the proceeds raised by our auction benefit local nonprofit organizations that support our community’s most pressing needs.”

The event's top lot was submitted by the auction's honoary chair, George Hamel Jr., and included a private concert by the jazz legend Vince Guaraldi. The lot sold for $460,000 with 46 couples each paying $10,000. 

The auction’s top wine-only lot was winemaker Michael Browne’s Lot No. 7 that included estate, library wines of CIRQ in mixed formats. The lot sold for $80,000.

Other top lots included:
• Lot No. 11, a trip to Wimbledon including dinner with Wimbledon legend, Tim Henman, which sold for $190,000.

• Lot No. 34, a dinner with chef Nancy Oakes, with a multicourse meal prepared by some of her friends, including: Gary Danko, Michael Tusk, Emily Luchetti and Tyler Florence among other celebrity chefs of the region reached $95,000 before being doubled for a total of $190,000.

• Lot No. 16, Christopher Creek Winery’s trip to Italy including a stay in a castle, and a spontaneous add-on by the auction's culinary chair Dustin Valette of Valette Healdsburg to fly to Italy to cook an exclusive dinner for the lucky winner, drove bidding up to $95,000.

Brothers George Hamel, III and John Hamel, representing the Hamel Family Foundation, started the Fund-A-Need paddle raise with a donation of $300,000, which was matched by the Jackson family. Other donors included E. & J. Gallo Winery with $150,000 followed by $100,000 donations by Stewart Resnick, Landmark Vineyards; Mac McQuown, Stone Edge Farm; Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane of Benovia Winery; Francis Ford Coppola Winery; and Jim Bailey of Knights Bridge Winery.