Finger Lakes wineries join Wine for Haiti fundraiser
Finger Lakes wineries are among contributors to an online Wine for Haiti fundraiser.
The event is being organized by Palate Press, an online wine magazine, and “Brother, can you spare a bottle?”, a blog that says it’s “a place for Wine Bloggers, Wine Twitters, wine makers, drinkers, collectors, and fans to coordinate charitable giving.” Bidding is taking place on Palate Press’ Web site. Individuals as well as wineries are donating wine, books, art and other wine-related items.
“Finger Lakes wines are rolling in,” Palate Press publisher David Honig said in an e-mail today. Besides the lots already posted, he expects more later. Heron Hill Winery tweeted last week that it was sending a case.
According to Palate Press, each auction lot gets its own post, at which time the auction is live. Once bidding hits the retail value, each lot is on a 24-hour cycle, ending at 10 p.m. Eastern Time. If a lot goes a full 24 hours, from 10 p.m. to 10 p.m., without a new bid, the last bid in the comments wins. If a bidding war starts, with the same people going back and forth, one day at a time, the magazine will post something in the comments of that lot and “schedule a time to bid to the death, at a time mutually agreeable to everybody involved.”
Fox Run Vineyards, a Wine & Spirits 2008 Winery of the Year, contributed a mixed case of wines, with a retail value of $160 and an opening bid of $80. It’s lot 29.
Sheldrake Point Vineyard has contributed a case of 2008 Gewurztraminer, retail value $216, listed as lot 30. Opening bid is $100.
Zugibe Vineyards donated a case of its 2007 Riesling, which the winery called “one of our best” in a Facebook posting. The retail value is $195; minimum bid $100, and bidding started today. Its lot number is 31. “We are just hoping that the auction can bring in as much $$$ as possible!” the winery’s Facebook posting says.
Lot 33 is a magnum of Hunt Country Vineyards’ Vidal Blanc ice wine, retail value $150.
Palate Presswill not accept payments from the auction winners. Instead, it will request that winners make their payment directly to the American Red Cross, Haiti Relief and Development,* using the e-mail WineForHaiti@Palatepress.com and the business name “Palate Press.” “This is done to assure bidders that all contributions go directly to the American Red Cross, Haiti Relief and Development,” the magazine’s Web site says. “We may ask for a separate payment via PayPal for shipping for lots that do not specify free shipping.”
More than 40 lots are up for auction or have been sold, and others have been promised.
For more information, e-mail WineForHaiti@palatepress.com.
