Buy Wine for a Worthy Cause from the 2015 ¡Salud! Pinot Noir Auction

While pinot noirs from Oregon’s Willamette Valley are well known these days, the stories of the seasonal vineyard workers who do so much to drive production aren’t quite so widely circulated. Many struggle with unmet healthcare needs, and in 1991, Tuality Healthcare teamed up with some of the area’s winery owners to change that. The result was ¡Salud!, a program dedicated to helping these workers and their families access healthcare services.

Their annual fundraiser, an auction of specially made local cuvée pinot noirs, is right around the corner, taking place on November 13 and 14, 2015.

The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction

¡Salud! has raised more than $10 million in its 24 years, primarily through annual auctions of local pinot noirs. More than 40 Oregon wineries create five 12-bottle cases each for the occasion. These are donated to the auction, held during the second weekend in November each year. Of course, this is just in time to stock up on some excellent wines for your holiday entertaining or to acquire some unique gifts for the season for your oenophile friends, family, or colleagues.

The 2014 event was a huge success, bringing in $722,000 to benefit seasonal vineyard workers. This facilitated purchase of a dedicated mobile medical unit for ¡Salud!, ending the need for third-party contracting for mobile healthcare services and enhancing the convenience of services offered.

The 2015 ¡Salud! Auction

Event organizers hope to eclipse last year’s success and bring in even more charitable contributions through the 2015 pinot noir auction.

On Friday, November 13, an auction will be hosted by Ponzi Vineyards. Guests will meet and mingle with area winemakers and winery owners while sampling 45 custom-made ¡Salud! cuvée pinot noirs. On Saturday, November 14, there’s a gala and silent auction at the Allison Inn and Spa in Newberg, Oregon, followed by a multi-course dinner and live auction.

Tickets to the Friday event are $275 per guest; tickets to the Saturday event are $295 per attendee. Save by purchasing a ticket bundle to both events for $500 per guest, or a limited number of weekend package experiences are available starting at $1,713 per couple. The latter includes two tickets to each of the two events, two nights’ deluxe accommodations at the Allison Inn and Spa, transportation to Ponzi Vineyards on Friday, and Saturday morning breakfast.

If you’d like to bid but are unable to attend this year’s event, you may bid by mail, phone, or email. Print a bid form at www.saludauction.org/pdfs/Auction/sealed_bid_2015.pdf and send it to Tuality Healthcare Foundation, 335 SE 8th Ave., Hillsboro, OR 97123; or call (503) 681-1850; or email lindsay.coon@tuality.org. Bids must be received by Thursday, November 12, 2015.

Additional Information

To learn more about ¡Salud! and its mission and services or the annual pinot noir auction, to see the full list of participating wineries, to view the items available for auction, or to make a donation to the