Premiere Sonoma?

[John Moore]

Was wondering if there is anything the sonoma wineries do that is similiar to the Premiere Napa Auction ?

[Zinner]

Sonoma has at least a couple of main auctions. In the summer(July perhaps), Sonoma County does a Showcase and Auction that is quite wonderful for the food, as well as the wine that it presents. I didn't get to go last year, but in previous years, the San Francisco symphony played with a picnic on the lawn at Sonoma Cutrer to end it.

And Sonoma Valley does an auction that bills itself as sort of the anti-Napa auction. They present it as the less stuffy, more funny alternative(one of the Smothers brothers is a vintner there). It's usually over Labor Day weekend.

If you're interested, I could probably find out more.

[John Moore]

Thanks Zinner but I am particularly interested in knowing if the sonoma wineries have a auction where they showcase unique wines that are not available to the general public like at Premiere Napa.

[Zinner]

Well, I'm not sure there's an event that exactly parallels Premiere Napa. In the Sonoma County Showcase auction, there's a barrel auction and wines that you won't find anyplace else, made just for the auction. So yes, those are unique.

If you bought the whole barrel, you would be the only person who had that particular wine.