Sonoma County Vintners raised a record $794,500 in the third annual Sonoma County Barrel Auction April 21, as 90 one-of-a-kind wine lots were auctioned off. More than 250 members of the wine trade and media attended the live auction at Santa Rosa’s Vintners Inn. This year’s totals were up more than $100,000 from 2016.
All of the wines featured were made exclusively for the auction, and will be available in the market only by resale to the winning bidder’s customers.
Kosta Browne had the top earning lot with “The Shire of Freestone,” a 20-case Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir lot that set a new record at $60,000.
The second highest selling lot was the 20-case Silver Oak Cellars 2015 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $50,000. The third top lot was Williams Selyem Winery’s 20-case Pinot Noir, blended from three estate vineyards, which sold for $26,000. Ramey Wine Cellars’ 10-case “Ramey’s Heart of the Russian River Valley” Chardonnay was the top white wine at $12,500.