This is a short list of the items up for auction at the Taste of Howell Mountain 2011.  Tickets to the event are $125, and can be purchased at www.howellmountain.org or by calling 707 965 2665

1 – Spend the day with La Jota winemaker, Chris Carpenter.  Tasting of La Jota’s wines with Chris and he will select 12 bottles for you to take home.  Dinner with Chris at a premier Napa restaurant with a show at one of Napa’s musical venues to wrap up the evening.  Take home a magnum of 2007 La Jota HM Cabernet tonight.  For 4 people.

2 – Two days and two nights of guided fly fishing at Mammoth Lakes, accommodations provided.  Includes a case of Black Sears wine.  For 4 people.

3 – 3 magnums from Araujo, Bressler, & Cain. From HL Vineyards, a 750 ml, 1.5L, and 3L.

4 – Private tour & tasting at St. Clement Winery with winemaker Danielle Cyrot, includes a magnum of Oroppas.  Then, go up Howell Mountain for a “learn to blend” experience at Bremer Family Vineyards.  For 8 people.

5 – Lunch, an ATV ride and a vertical tasting at Cimarossa Vineyards with owner, Dino Dina.  Also, a vertical of 3 magnums from O’Shaughnessy signed by winemaker Sean Capiaux.  For 4 people.

 6 – Dinner with Marc & Janice Mondavi at their home on Howell Mountain with wines from Charles Krug and Rocky Ridge.  Includes a magnum of Krug to take home tonight.  For 8 people.

7 – Three 3 litre bottles of HM Cabernet Sauvignon – Notre Vin, Robert Foley, & Robert Craig.

8 – Robert Craig vertical – 10 bottles of Howell Mountain Cabernet from 1999-2008.  Lunch or dinner for 2 people at the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant in the Culinary Institute in St. Helena.

9 – Hands-on cooking class and luncheon at Spence.  Start at the Farmer’s market with Jackie Spence (Spence Vineyards) and Kara Dunn (Retro Cellars) and choose your ingredients.  Go back to Spence for a cooking lesson followed by lunch with wines from Spence, Dunn, and Retro.  Take home tonight a library magnum of Spence HM Cabernet and 3 750ml bottles of Beringer Steinhauser Ranch HM Cabernet.  For 8 people.

10 – Tour at Arkenstone, then a picnic at Blue Hall Vineyards and vertical tasting with the winemaker.  Take home tonight a (three-year vertical ’06 ’07 ’08 of Arkenstone Obsidian magnums and three 750ml bottles of ’08 Arkenstone Sauvignon Blanc.  For 4 people

11 – Steak dinner with the 4 Pina brothers in the Pina Napa Valley cellars. Take home tonight one magnum of 2007 Pina Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mtn. Buckeye Vineyard.  For 8 people

 12 – Lunch and golf at Meadowood.  Private tour & tasting at White cottage Ranch.  Take home tonight from White Cottage – three 750ml bottles, a 3L and a 6L – all HM Cabernet.  For 2 people.

13 – 25 bottles of library wines from Randy Dunn.  1982 through 2007 – all Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

14 – Picnic lunch and tour at W. H. Smith with WH Smith wines.  For 10 people

 15 – 4 wheeling adventure with the Dunn Family to their special place in the Howell Mountain back country for a Mexican picnic and killer margaritas.  Take home tonight 6 bottles (750 ml) from Retro Cellars (Petite Syrah) and a magnum of Dunn (2006), HM Cabernet Sauvignon.  For 6 people.

 16 – Argentinian BBQ for 20 at Red Cap Vineyards.  Multiple winner lot.  Each ticket is $200 – bid on one or more.  Dinner with winemaker Tom Altemus.  Taste his brand new HM Sauvignon Blanc.  Will occur on Saturday, August 20, 2011.

17 – Two 6L bottles from Duckhorn – 1996 Merlot & 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

18 – Lunch at Redd in Yountville and a tasting at Cornerstone Cellars featuring 5 pre-2000 vintages.  For 4 people.  Take home tonight a 3L of 2005 Cornerstone HM Cabernet.

 19 – A table for 8 at Summit Lake’s annual pig roast.  Winner takes home tonight a full, mixed case of Summit Lake wines.

20 – Three 750’s (Diamond Terrace).  Two magnums (D-Cubed & Del Dotto + cave tour). One 3L (D-Cubed).  One 5L (Dunn Vineyards).

 21 – Tour & picnic for 6 at Lamborn Family Vineyards & a giclee painting of Napa Valley by famed winemaker Heidi Barrett.  Also includes a 3L of Lamborn HM Cabernet & a magnum of Heidi’s La Sirena Santa Ynez Syrah.

22 – One 6L (Shafer Merlot) and six magnums (Abreu, Carver Sutro, Dalle Valle, Gemstone, Jones, & Turley)

 23 – A picnic in the vineyards for 4 at Rutherford Grove Winery plus 8 bottles (750 ml) from Rutherford Grove, Black Sears & Atlas Peak, a magnum from Rutherford Grove, and a 3L from Highlands.

 24 – Dinner for 6 in San Francisco at Up Country restaurant with wines from Cakebread and Howell at the Moon (owner Marc Cohen also owns Up Country restaurant).

25 – 18 magnums from Randy Dunn.  1989 through 2007 of HM Cabernet Sauvignon.

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 Part A – Wine, Dine, & Dance at Outpost Winery.  Multiple winner lot.  30 seats available at $200 each.    Will occur on Saturday, September 10, 2011.  A wonderful evening of food by Richard Haake and wines by Thomas Rivers Brown.

Part B – One couple can bid on staying at the winery the weekend of the dinner.  Includes 2 night’s accommodations in the winery guest house, a harvest experience, a private tour & tasting, lunch prepared by the evening’s chef and four 3L bottles from Outpost.

27 – Lunch and wine for 4 at Beringer’s Hudson House.  Take home tonight a 3L bottle of Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

28 – Limousine and private picnic lunch at Chappellet meadow overlooking Lake Hennessey.  Vineyard tour and private tasting.  Limousine service to dinner at any of Cindy Pawlcyn’s restaurants in St. Helena (Go Fish, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, or Mustard’s) paired with Chapellet wine.  One night’s accommodation at Hotel Yountville.  For 2 people.

29 – Squaw Valley 2-night stay for 2 people with wine from CADE.  Includes wine with dinner at the Plumpjack Café Squaw Valley.  Additionally, winner is invited to a complimentary tour & tasting at Plumpjack in Oakville and CADE Winery on Howell Mountain.  Take home a 6L of CADE HM Cabernet Sauvignon.