The 11th annual auction took place at Landmark Vineyards Hop Kiln Estate in Healdsburg.
More than 300 members of the wine trade and others came together Friday to support Sonoma County Vintners at the 11th annual Sonoma County Barrel Auction, an event presented in partnership with American AgCredit.
Held at Landmark Vineyards Hop Kiln Estate in Healdsburg, the auction raised vital funds for Sonoma County Vintners, a wine trade organization that provides marketing and policy advocacy for the region and its 250 winery members, as well as fundraising for local nonprofits.
The total amount of money raised at this year’s auction will be announced later this week.
Open to both national and international wine trade and media, the Sonoma County Barrel Auction provides wine buyers exclusive access to limited-edition wines for resale to customers, including ultra-premium wine collectors.
“Our trade guests and vintner community truly value the opportunity to connect with each other and share the world-class quality of Sonoma County’s wines,” said Michael Haney, executive director of Sonoma County Vintners. “They can develop new business relationships and learn about consumer trends. We’re proud to host these impactful events each year.”
In the spotlight
To kick off the event, a Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to David Hirsch, who founded Healdsburg’s Hirsch Vineyards in 1980.
Hirsch is recognized for growing some of Sonoma County’s most sought-after Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in vineyards that are now among the oldest in the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation on the Sonoma Coast.
All 72 planted acres are certified biodynamic, with Hirsch meticulously farming each parcel to produce his own wine since 2002.
Also receiving an award was Hank Wetzel, founder and partner at Alexander Valley Vineyards, who was named “Sonoma County Icon.” In 1974, Wetzel’s senior project at U.C. Davis featured the plans for a small winery, which became the blueprint for Alexander Valley Vineyards.
Wetzel spearheaded the development of the Alexander Valley appellation, is past chairman of the Wine Institute, past president of Sonoma County Winegrowers and former president of Russian River Wine Road.
The Sonoma County Innovators award was presented to Dry Creek Vineyard founder David S. Stare, president Kim Stare Wallace and partner Don Wallace.
The pioneer behind Dry Creek Valley’s first new winery after Prohibition, Stare is recognized for developing the appellation’s iconic Fumé Blanc (barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc) and the Dry Creek Valley appellation itself. The first to coin the term “old vine Zinfandel,” Stare was also the first to print the word “Meritage” on the wine label of his Bordeaux-style blend.
Stare’s daughter, Kim Stare Wallace, has been president of Dry Creek Vineyards since 2011, when she took the reins from her husband, Don Wallace. A board member of the California Wine Institute, he is an active advocate for sustainable farming, salmon habitat restoration and water conservation in Sonoma County.
“We (were) thrilled to honor these incredible people … who have contributed significantly to the world-class profile of Sonoma County wines,” said Haney. “Their ingenuity and thought leadership have paved the way for so many successful wineries in our region.”
The lots
Sonoma County celebrity auctioneer John Curley led the live auction portion of the event, with his trademark vivacity in high gear.
Over the course of the afternoon, Curly auctioned 59 lots of one-of-a-kind wines, including some produced by two or more noteworthy winemakers. Among them were Terra Rossa Pinot Noir from Jeff Mangahas of Williams Selyem and Mike Sullivan of Benovia Winery; a Chardonnay from Mauritson Wines and Sangiacomo Family Wines; and a “Fellowship of the Panther” Pinot Noir from Joseph Jewell Wines, Panther Ridge Wines and Brooks Note Winery.
Other standouts included a Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir from Three Sticks, a Fredson Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon from Ridge Vineyards and “The Conspiracy Zinfandel” from Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson and current winemaker, Michael Eddy-Cort.
In past years, international wine buyers have played an important role in Sonoma County Vintners’ fundraising efforts at the auction. While buyers from Denmark, Japan and Norway were in attendance, those from Canada were forced to cancel.
“We were disappointed the Canada buyers were unable to make the trip due to the current tariff situation,” said Haney. “We’re hopeful our two governments will work together to get Sonoma County wines back in Canadian markets very soon.”
You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Sarah on Instagram at @whiskymuse.
