Ukiah Daily Journal June 4, 2000
Bidding was brisk at 'Wine Affair'
By Deborah Finestone

Gentility and congeniality joined forces with the county's bounty of wine and fine food at the 5th annual Wine Affair tasting and auction at Fetzer Vineyards in Hopland. Over 500 people of all ages, donning Hawaiian flowered shirts or sun dresses, straw hats and sunglasses shared the warm sunshine in the winery's garden, sampling from the selection of wines offered by 32 wineries and delicacies of local gourmet Chefs.

This year, the event's host, Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance, decided to put a twist on the affair, by turning the silent and live auction proceeds into a benefit for the Mendocino County Search and Rescue Team.

"We looked at a lot of things the community has done and thought it would be appropriate to give back to the cornmunity," said John Enquist, executive director of MWA. "The Search & Rescue Unit is very worthwhile cause and organization, it's county-wide and everyone can benefit from it."

All proceeds from the auctions will go to the organization of citizen volunteers to help fund their equipment and animals (for the K9 force or mounted posse). To show their appreciation, many Search & Rescue volunteers staffed the event, helping control parking and serve dinner.

Last year, the event brought in about $52,000. The auction seemed to have a very good start this year, with the help and humor of professional auctioneer David Reynolds.

"This is not the refined atmosphere of Sotheby's or Christie's," he announced to the crowd in a British accent, just in case they hadn't noticed that he too was clad in wildly colorful Hawaiian shirt to match his rainbow, plastic-framed glasses and Bermuda shorts. "I may make mistakes."

Even his auction guidelines were atypical, attracting the crowds attention and a probably loosening their pocketbooks with his attitude.

"The one guideline I will enforce with fines if necessary is: no spousal restraint." The crowd cheered. "If I see one spouse block the arm of one trying bid, I will fine them a hundred dollars. If they do it a second time, I'll send them out with the picketers and the remaining spouse will be indulged with champagne," he said.

Most of the live auction bids had been valued between $300 and $2,000, but Reynolds was coaxing bidders into bidding above the value. In less than a minute each, he had one three liter bottle of wine sold for $650 and tickets to Elizabeth Vineyards Hoity-Toity Pig Party for $550.

"What is more Mendocino than dancing for a dead pig" he joked.

He sold a liter bottle of wine for $1,800 by telling the bidder, "the IRS will believe you."

Big ticket items included several weekend getaways (valued at $2000 to $2500), blending your own 20 cases of wine ($2,500 to $3,000), even your own acre vineyard (valued at $7,500 to $8,000).

Attendants noshed on an array of wines, champagne, cheeses, vegetables, nuts and breads during the auction. Guest chefs Marc Dym, Bruce Aidells and Bridget Harrington created a sumptuous meal of caramelized endive and duck confit salad, Zinfandel-braised beef short ribs and strawberry shortcake with Chardonnay Sabayon.

During the afternoon preceding dinner, most attendants strolled Fetzer's Valley Oaks Visitor Center's garden in full bloom, tasting wines while being serenaded by an accordion and fiddler duet playing nostalgic Mediterranean tunes such as "Santa Lucia" and "Return to Sorrento." However, Freres Chapeaux are not from ltaly (they're from Santa Rosa) and no, they're not brothers.

Silent auction items were displayed under the gazebo in the gardens, for people to purchase as much as they did the tasty offerings. While most of these items were smaller getaways, some kind of wine packages or large bottles, other businesses and individuals,contributed a creative variety of items, including a new concrete patio (courtesy of Parnum Paving), a savings bond, gift certificates, artwork and crafts, or tickets to Giants games.

For local wine growers, this is a great event to get some publicity and find out what other vintners are doing. It seemed that most of the crowd had some connection to the industry.

"This gives us good exposure and a chance to introduce new products,". said Scott Jepson, general operations manager of Jepson Vineyards, who was pouring wine for passers-by.

"We're drawing in people from all over while competing with a big auction in Napa today. But we're doing a good job. Mendocino is really coming into it's own."

For him, though, the best part is meeting other people especially other vintners. But far from being cutthroat competition, vintners discussed everything from the day's sunshine and setting to inquiring into family-affairs, like who's graduating or having a baby.

"We're here to enjoy the nice afternoon, try the wines and enjoy the gardens," said Carrie Honeycutt-Nye, whose husband is manager at Pacific Echo Cellars. "Monroe (her 2-year-old son with her) is enjoying the fountains on this hot day."

This is Mary Beth Chandler's first year here since she and her husband Josh bought Lazy Creek Vineyards in Philo. "This is a stunning setting," she said. "It's nice and quiet. It's too bad we're competing with Napa, and it would have been nice a little earlier in the year so it could be cooler and don't have to compete with their (Napa's) publicity. We appreciate the opportunity to be here. If more people knew what it was like, there would be 10 million people here - not that we want 10 million people here."

Others simply raved about the event while taking pride in their region.

"The wine is great, the atmosphere is wonderful, and the people are excellent," Jane Zeni, of Zeni Vineyards, said. "We can beat Napa anytime! Our wine is better." Not to mention the $65 tickets to this affair are a fraction of the $1,200 ticket to the Napa auction.

A smaller portion of the crowd were wine aficionados, like Michael Dimock from Santa Rosa, who chose the Mendocino event over the Napa one. "Mendocino is the next frontier in the wine industry," he said. "Napa and Sonoma are done." He plans to do his share of the bidding for some of the wine, too, "I have a cellar at home and I like Mendocino wines in it."

Dimock is also a fan of the valley's setting, which he is familiar with from his uncle who used to work here and from attending the Wine Affair three years ago.

Ukiah resident Ted Steuart was there for the third time, and made a toast with his friends to make this an annual event for them.

"I support everything going on in this county. It's a great place to live," he said. "We're having a good time and it's for a good cause, even if I'm broke before I leave."

After dinner, Les Boek's Rags-to-Rhythm Review, a five-piece band, played blues and rock-and-roll music long into the night for dancing and relaxing.

The day's mood couldn't be dampened by the handful of picketers along the side of the road near the entry gates, protesting Fetzer's recent removal of cherry orchards.