The Sonoma County Vintners invites members of the licensed wine trade to preview the never before, never again limited production wines that will be available for purchase at the inaugural Sonoma County Barrel Auction. Sixty-seven unique wine lots representing 12 Sonoma County appellations and cultivated in Sonoma County’s most highly acclaimed vineyards will be up for grabs at the one-day-only auction. Descriptions of all wine lots can be viewed at www.sonomawine.com/barrelauction/wines.
These specially chosen wines were curated in blind tastings held in February and March by a hand-selected panel of six influential Master Sommeliers and a Master of Wine. Panelist Bob Paulinski, MW, said the panel realized the importance of ensuring that the auction wines would resonate with the event’s licensed trade guests. “The wines demonstrated a high degree of clarity and purity of fruit. There was a strong expression of place.”
Sonoma County Barrel Auction lots range in size from five to 20 cases and include unique single vineyard bottlings, specific clonal selections, blends, wines aged using special barrel regimes and joint lot wines made by collaborating wineries.
The event includes two special days:
Sonoma County Icons Library Tasting
Thursday, April 30, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Williams Selyem Winery
Open by invitation only to qualified members of the VIP wine trade and media, this walk-around tasting will give attendees the opportunity to sample up to four older vintage wines with each of the iconic founders and winemakers behind the landmark Sonoma County properties that shaped and advanced winemaking and continue to do so today.
Sonoma County Barrel Auction
Friday, May 1, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Vintners Inn
Located in the heart of 92 acres of vineyards in Russian River Valley, the day begins in the event center and courtyards with a walk-around tasting of all one-of-a-kind wine lots. A luncheon and the live auction follows in a tented pavilion overlooking the vineyards.
About Sonoma County Vintners
Sonoma County Vintners (SCV) is the leading voice of Sonoma County wine, dedicated to raising awareness and building understanding of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier wine regions, noted for its heritage of artisan winemaking, distinct growing regions, and extraordinary quality. Founded in 1944, SCV represents more than 250 wineries and affiliates of all sizes throughout the county.
WWW.SONOMAWINE.COM
DR. BRINKMAN - PROFESSOR AND DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY - CALIFORNIA’S WATER RESTRICTIONS
Dr. Robert Brinkman, Professor and Director of Sustainability Studies at Hofstra University, who’s recent Op-Ed regarding California’s water troubles stressed the importance of rethinking water sustainability and conservation on Long Island, N.Y., will be a great resource on any discussion you have relating to California’s recent water restrictions including, but not limited to how:
- California’s existing water system is highly dependent on a network of pipes and aqueducts that bring water from wet areas to dry populated areas.
- The water system is controversial because it has allowed areas that are in extremely dry areas (such as Los Angeles or San Diego) to grow in unsustainable ways. The populations far exceed their ability to use local water resources. This makes the cities of Southern California particularly susceptible to environmental stress.
- California has a tension between different stakeholders about access to water. Agricultural users are often in conflict with cities or industrial users of water.
- 4. California is in the midst of an historic drought that is causing severe stress on California’s water network.
- Water conservation is the only answer California has at the moment because they have stretched existing resources to the breaking point already. Lakes and rivers are at historic lows as California is leaving the rainy season and entering the dry season.
- There is concern over the ability of California farmers to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to the international market.
- Many areas have learned from the mistakes of California’s highly unsustainable system of water resource management and have worked to better manage water within drainage basins. Florida, for example, mandates that cities must utilize water resources within water districts. As a result, cities cannot grow unsustainably beyond their ability to provide water to cities, farmers, and industries.
Dr. Robert Brinkman earned his B.S. from University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, MS and PHD from University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. His research focuses on urban and suburban environmental sustainability, including topic areas such as urban storm water pollution, street sweeping, climate change policy, and cave and karst science and management.
Dr. Brinkman is very media savvy. He is available for on-camera and in-studio interviews from Tampa, Florida during the week of April 6th, 2015. He will be based in New York and available for on-camera and in-studio interviews after April 13th, 2015. He is available for phone and Skype interviews at any time.