The Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation has opened the first phase of its online auction, the proceeds from which will once again benefit Santa Barbara-based Direct Relief.
Click here to access the auction.
Direct Relief provides essential medical resources to doctors and community health workers worldwide, regardless of politics, religion or ability to pay. Direct Relief currently is working in the states hardest hit by the recent hurricanes.
The first phase of the online auction offers bidders the chance to obtain coveted Santa Barbara County wines and unique wine country experiences before it closes on Oct. 31.
Wine enthusiasts will have a second opportunity to bid when new items are released on Nov. 2 for the second phase of the online auction, which then will close Nov. 9 after the gala event, scheduled for Nov. 8-9 at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Santa Barbara.
The foundation’s weekend event launches Friday with a wine tasting and musical performance by the Tepusquet Tornadoes, a local winery band whose members include Madison Murphy, owner of Presqu’ile, which is the Honorary Winery for 2024.
More than 25 of the region’s wineries will offer wine to taste, and the Bacara culinary team will provide small bites. Tickets for Friday start at $95 and can be purchased online.
On Saturday, guests will be treated to a four-course dinner featuring award-winning chefs Neal Fraser (Redbird, Los Angeles), Jason Paluska (The Lark, Santa Barbara) and renowned pastry chef Lincoln Carson, followed by a live auction, emceed by Andrew Firestone, offering additional rare and unique wine and travel experiences, as well as a painting by local artist Pedro De La Cruz.
De La Cruz is the 2024 featured artist, and his painting “El Amor a La Vida” was inspired by gratitude for the people who love and nurture the county’s vineyards.
The 2024 Wine Auction will mark the foundation’s 13th year of gathering together to support, strengthen and give back to its community. Since its inaugural event in 2000, the biennial auction has raised more than $5 million for humanitarian organizations, including its longtime beneficiary and partner, Direct Relief.
“Grounded in Giving,” the foundation’s motto, was very much in evidence starting early this week as winery teams from Storm Cellars and Story of Soil each donated $250 to the foundation during a “lees bucket challenge.”
At Storm Cellars, a forklift dumped a load of red wine “lees” (dead yeast cells and other post-fermentation material) on winemaker Ernst Storm and his winemaking crew. Storm then challenged Jessica Gasca of Story of Soil and three other winemakers to the “lees bucket challenge.” Gasca is president of the Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation.
As did Storm, Gasca posted her team’s soggy challenge on Instagram, and paid it forward by asking five additional wineries to pledge their support — and wear some juice.