More than 200 guests gathered to give back at Sonoma’s Cline Family Cellars on Sept. 20, when the Sonoma County Wine Celebration concluded with a live auction to benefit local nonprofits.
Formerly known as the Sonoma County Wine Auction, the annual charity event was presented by the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation, which has helped raise more than $44 million in local grants since its founding in 1988.
The foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sonoma County Vintners, which supports winery members through political advocacy efforts, marketing initiatives and educational programs.
“It was wonderful to bring our live auction back to Cline Family Cellars, which was one of the original host venues for the event,” said Emilie Eliason, interim executive director of Sonoma County Vintners. “We’re grateful for the generosity of our vintners, the energy of our sponsors…and the chance to give back to this region we all love.”
A key beneficiary of this year’s auction will be the K-3 Proficiency Project from K3 Innovation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing literacy among Sonoma County schoolchildren.
Bidding for good
The ever-exuberant auctioneer John Curley led this year’s auction, presenting 22 auction lots to the generous crowd.
Among the lots were numerous travel experiences, including a luxury trip to Cabo San Lucas with Three Sticks Wines, a weekend getaway to Carnivale du Vin in New Orleans, and two dueling weekend escapes: one to Paso Robles with Justin Vineyards and another to Sonoma County with Landmark Vineyards.
Other popular lots included a trio of Bay Area sports games and a VIP experience in New York City for ESPN’s Jimmy V Classic – a college basketball doubleheader.
This year’s honorees
During the event, the Sonoma County Vintners Foundation presented numerous awards to those who’ve made significant contributions to the wine industry and local community.
Alexandra O’Gorman, vice president of community relations at Foley Family Wines & Spirits, was honored with the 2025 Wine Business Leadership Award. Presented annually in partnership with The Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University, the award recognizes those in the wine industry who have shown leadership, vision and service to the Sonoma County community.
“Alexandra is a rockstar in Sonoma County’s wine community,” said Damien Wilson, faculty director at The Wine Business Institute. “As an alumna of our Wine MBA program, it’s been a source of tremendous pride to follow her wine business initiatives as she rapidly ascended from management roles to executive.”
Michael Haney, who is stepping down after serving as executive director of Sonoma County Vintners for more than 10 years, was also honored.
The total amount of money raised at this year’s auction will be announced later this week.