Sonoma County Wine Auction set for Sept. 15-17, other events

HEALDSBURG

Oakville Wine Merchant opens second location

Oakville Wine Merchant, the wine shop of the Oakville Grocery, founded in 1881, has opened a second location in Healdsburg, adjacent to Oakville Grocery Healdsburg.

The new Wine Merchant location, on the Healdsburg Plaza, will have 40 wines, including Sonoma County wines from acclaimed producers, a reserve selection of Burgundian wines and curated wines from Champagne, Napa and other regions.

It’s part of the Boisset Collection of properties, which includes wineries and tasting rooms in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, San Francisco and France.

Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset was drawn to Sonoma County and the Russian River when he bought DeLoach Vineyards in 2003, as it reminded him of the terroir of Burgundy, where he was born. Since buying Oakville Grocery in 2019, Boisset has focused on increasing the assortment of locally sourced, artisanal and sustainably produced food and wine.

The Oakville Wine Merchant new location is at 122 Matheson St.

SONOMA COUNTY

Wine Auction set for Sept. 15-17

The Sonoma County Wine Auction, the annual fundraiser for the Sonoma County Vintners organization representing area wineries, will kick off on Sept. 15 with vintner dinners and conclude on Sept. 17 with the auction.

The event benefits local charities focused on literacy, education, health, the environment and the arts.

Vintner dinners, on Sept. 15, are hosted by renowned chefs and winemakers and include pairings with Sonoma County wines. On Sept. 16, the Best Party Ever event, with a Roaring ’20s theme, will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at Buena Vista Winery, 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma.

The auction, from 1 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 17, takes place at Chalk Hill Estate Vineyards & Winery, 10300 Chalk Hill Road, Healdsburg.

Tickets start at $2,500 and include all three days of events. For more information or to buy tickets, go to sonomacountywineauction.com.

GEYSERVILLE

Take tour at Oliver Ranch

The Sonoma County Wine Library Association will lead a tour Sept. 10 at Oliver Ranch of the 18 remarkable site-specific art installations on the property commissioned by the Oliver family.

Over the years, acclaimed artists have created works that are enhanced by Oliver Ranch’s natural beauty. The tour will cover approximately 2.5 miles and take nearly two and a half hours. Similar to a light hike in the woods, the paths are unpaved with 600 feet of up-and-down elevation change. Comfortable, non-slip walking shoes are recommended.

9:50 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A shuttle to the tour will leave at precisely 9:50 a.m. from Geyserville. Attendees will receive directions on where to meet after reserving a spot. Tickets are $125 and benefit the Sonoma County Wine Library Association. For more information and to get tickets, go to sonomawinelibraryassn.org/events.