Fervent
Bidding Results in a Record-Breaking
Sonoma County Barrel Auction
By FBWorld Team
A
record-setting $840,700 was raised , up six percent over the
previous year, at the Fourth Annual Sonoma County Barrel Auction
at MacMurray Estate Vineyards(tm). A crowd of over 500 people
celebrated and applauded in excitement as each of the 97 never
before, never again barrel futures were scooped up by wine trade
in attendance as well as proxy bidders calling in from around
the country.
In
a moving speech to kick off the event, Dan Kosta of AldenAlli
thanked this year's Sonoma County Barrel Auction Icons, groups
of individuals from the Sonoma County community who rose to
the challenge of the October wildfires, demonstrating exceptional
leadership, courage, heroism, sacrifice and selflessness as
they aided those in need. They included leaders, emergency responders,
communicators, those who provided food and shelter, service
providers and members of our local community who reached out
and took immediate action in the face of and in response to
extreme and difficult circumstances.
Subsequently,
the top earning lot of the day and the top selling red wine
lot was one of two special 20-case "Sonoma Rising"
barrel lots benefitting the Sonoma County Vintners Emergency
Relief Fund. Sonoma Rising "Resilience", an elegant
Pinot Noir produced with fruit from Russian River Valley and
Sonoma Coast and crafted by the talented winemakers from AldenAlli,
Arista Winery, Benovia Winery and Williams Selyem, fetched $70,000.
Sonoma Rising "Fortitude", a once-_in-_a-_lifetime
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from Aperture, Lambert Bridge Winery,
Laurel Glen Vineyard and Mauritson Wines, was sold for $29,000.
Together, they raised $99,000 to assist those who were affected
by the October wildfires.
"There
were a lot of paddles flying in the air," said Sonoma County
Vintners Interim Executive Director Michael Haney. "Everyone
really rose to the occasion today. We are extremely grateful
to our vintner members, our corporate partners and the trade
for their incredible support of the Sonoma County Barrel Auction.
Not only is the trade's continued investment a testament to
our wine quality in Sonoma County, the funds raised here today
from these two very special Sonoma Rising lots will continue
to support our community. It was extremely important to all
of our membership this year to do something in support of wildfire
recovery efforts."
The
Top Lots By Case Were As Follows:
*
Sonoma Rising "Resilience" by AldenAlli, Arista Winery,
Benovia Winery and Williams Selyem, 2017 Russian River Valley,
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir: $3,500 per case
*
Pride Mountain Vineyards "Summit Cuvée", 2016
Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon: $3,400 per case
*
Benovia Winery, AldenAlli "A Perfect Pair", 2017 Sonoma
Coast Pinot Noir: $2,600 per case
*
Ramey Wine Cellars, "Single Vineyard, Single Clone Syrah",
2016 Petaluma Gap Syrah: $2,200 per case
The
top white wine lots were Flowers Vineyards & Winery "Camp
Meeting Ridge Block 3", 2017 Fort Ross-Seaview Chardonnay
and Maritana Vineyards "Goodbye Big River Chardonnay",
2017 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, each selling for $7,500
or $1,500 per case. Iron Horse Vineyards "A Cuvee for the
Ages", 2014 Green Valley Sparking Wine, sold for $10,000
or $2,000 per case. All the wines featured will be available
in the market only by resale to the winning bidder's customers.
The
2018 Sonoma County Barrel Auction sponsors included these major
sponsors: MacMurray Estate Vineyards, American AgCredit, Silicon
Valley Bank, G3 Diam Enterprises, Tonnellerie Cadus, Kosta Browne,
MacRostie Winery & Vineyards, Martin Ray Vineyards &
Winery and Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Supporting Sponsors
included: BPM LLP, Carle Mackie Power & Ross, ETS Laboratories,
Out the Bottle, Pack n' Ship Direct, Paragon Label, Tonnellerie
Tremeaux, and Sonoma Millworks Design. The auction lunch wine
sponsors were Gallo Signature Series, J Vineyards & Winery
and MacMurray Estate Vineyards.