LAKE COUNTY ? Just about any mode of transportation will deliver visitors to Ce?go Vinegarden.
“To my knowledge, it”s the only place in North America where people can come by boat to taste wine,” Jim Fetzer, owner of Ce?go, said. On Friday folks on a seaplane dropped in for a visit.
The 11th annual Lake County Wine Auction, presented by the Lake County Wine Alliance, will take place on Sept. 18 from 4 to 10 p.m. at Ce?go in Nice.
The gala charity auction benefits Lake County nonprofit organizations, agencies and programs, to which the Lake County Wine Alliance has contributed more than $771,000 since 2000.
The Wine Alliance, a nonprofit organization of wineries, wine grape growers, vineyard owners, related businesses and community supporters, conducts this annual event to foster the arts, benefit health services and support the community while promoting Lake County as a premier growing region for fine wine grapes.
The event features live and silent auctions, music, wine and food pairings and entry to a reserve wine vault with special Lake County wines for $25 payable at the event.
Congressman Mike Thompson will present Jed Steele, owner and winemaker for Steele Wines, with a congressional resolution at the event. Steele, began working in Lake County as a winemaker in 1983, when he was hired to run a fledgling, start-up winery called Kendall-Jackson. After nine harvests, working closely with many Lake County growers, he started Steele Wines in April 1991. With more than four decades in the California wine industry, he recognized that the story of the quality of Lake County grapes and wines was not being told adequately to a larger audience, so 10 years ago, Steele started a rigorous schedule of traveling to promote his winery and the region. He currently spends about 150 days each year on the road, spreading the word about the fine quality of Lake County wines to consumers across the country.
Steele has contributed his own resources annually to the Wine Auction, serving as auctioneer and wine expert, as well as gathering many of the major donations to the live and silent auctions, tapping his industry contacts for contributions of wine and travel packages. He is being honored for his many contributions to the California wine industry and for his pioneering work in establishing the standards for the fine quality of Lake County wines.
The honorary chair of the event is Budge Brown, owner of Tulip Hill Winery and the Cleavage Creek wine label. He has been farming in California for more than 50 years. He opened Tulip Hill Winery at its location on Clear Lake”s north shore in 2004, occupying a building and site constructed for the Bartlett Springs water bottling plant. In memory of his late wife, his Cleavage Creek label honors breast cancer survivors on every bottle, donating 10 percent of the gross proceeds to fund breast cancer research and offering medical support to those with breast cancer. Brown is also an entrepreneur who invented the water slide and has traveled the world teaching others how to build them.
Event co-chairs are Margaret Walker-Stimmel, president of the Lake County Wine Alliance and Marie Beery, vice president of the Lake County Wine Alliance.
Speaking of Ce?go Walker-Stimmel said, “I think this is the best venue we”ve ever had.”
Auctioneers are Peter Ventura and Stephanie Green. Ventura, a member of the Mondavi family of Napa Valley wine industry fame, boasts 30 years in the wine industry including work with Robert Mondavi Winery in senior positions in marketing, public relations and management. He was Director General of Opus One with responsibility for all aspects of operations. Ventura has conducted more than a dozen charity auctions, each raising between $100,000 and $600,000. He is volunteering his time and skill to the charity event.
Ventura is a former officer and director of the North American Institute of Masters of Wine in London, a past director, officer, and chairman of the American Institute of Wine and Food, past president of the Napa Valley Oakville Winegrowers, a former director of Grapes for Humanity, and is a Supreme Knight of the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Vine.
Green is a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. She owns and operates Focused on Wine, a wine bar and tasting room in Kelseyville. She is a wine educator, a private wine consultant, and noted cellar master of wines, on both the domestic and international wine scene. She recently completed her first year with the Institute of the Masters of Wine and is locally recognized as a wine expert.
Rob Roumiguiere, treasurer of the Lake County Wine Alliance will be as serving as Master of Ceremonies.
Music will be provided by the LC Diamonds.
Groups benefiting from the proceeds are, Arts: Fine arts programs at Lake County high schools.
Health: Hilltop Recovery Services, St. Helena Hospital Clearlake emergency department and Lake County Children”s Dental Disease Prevention Program. Community: Lake County Channel Cats, Operation Tango Mike, Lake County Community Action Agency/Safe House, Friends of the Lake County Library, and Meals-On-Wheels Programs at Lake County Senior Centers.
Sponsors confirmed to date are: Mendo Lake Credit Union, Beauty, Health & Wellness, St. Helena Hospital, Clearlake, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Bella Vista Farming Company, Bob Bartley Pumps, Ce?go Vinegarden, Enchantic Art, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, Tulip Hill Winery, Umpqua Bank, American AgCredit, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Kelseyville Pharmacy, Konocti Vista Casino, MWS Consulting, Sutter Lakeside Hospital and WestAmerica Bank.
Participating food purveyors, confirmed to date are Aromas at Yuba College, Biggs 155 Diner, Cache Creek Catering, Chic Le Chef, Ciao Thyme Catering, Lakeview Market and Deli, LuLu”s Ice Cream and Dessert, Molly Brennan”s, Park Place Restaurant, Rob Roy Golf & Country Club, Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, The Blue Wing at the Tallman Hotel, Twin Pine Casino, WaterColor Restaurant, winestyleliving.com and Zino”s Ristorante & Inn.
Other food donors include, Braito”s Riviera Foods, Bruno”s Shop Smart, Foods, Etc., Hardester”s Market, North Shore Sentry Market, Ray”s Foods, Safeway and Studebaker”s Caf? and Deli.
More than 20 Lake County wineries will participate in the event. The list of participating wineries is not confirmed and will be printed at a later date.
A fine art poster reproduced from an original watercolor-on-silk painting, “Beautiful Lake County-Ce?go Vinegarden” was created by artist John R. Clarke. All poster sales benefit beneficiaries. The posters are $20 each and will be available at winery tasting rooms. The original art is on display at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville.
Fetzer will be the venue host. His dream is to create a balanced and beautiful biodynamic farm and winery estate on the north shore of Clear Lake. At Ce?go, Fetzer has taken everything he learned from his family”s success in building Fetzer wines into an internationally recognized and respected winery. He concentrates on sound farming practices using biodynamic and organic methods to produce quality grapes and fine wines. The event is for 21 years and older. Black tie is encouraged. Cocktail attire is appropriate.
Tickets are $125 per person. To purchase tickets in advance visit www.winealliance.org or 1-866-279-WINE (9463).
Ce?go Vinegarden is located at 5115 E. Highway 20 in Nice. For more information visit www.Ce?go.com.
Mandy Feder can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 32.
