At this time of year two things converge that reinforce one another.  By the end of harvest, if for some reason you’ve forgotten in the past year, we are newly reminded of how hard vineyard stewards work.  There is so much work they do throughout the season, from pruning in January / February to harvest in September / October.   Much of that skilled work is done by hand and all of it is physically demanding.  And while we are at the peak of our gratitude it is time once again for the iSalud! Auction which raises funds to provide healthcare services for vineyard stewards and their families.  There are a small number of tickets remaining for the case auction on November 11th at the Allison Inn and Spa and the live auction at the Domaine Serene Clubhouse.  Both events are great fun and an opportunity to rub elbows with your favorite rock star winemakers, but even if you can’t attend, you can bid online for both events.  I can say from personal experience that the pleasure of enjoying a unique iSalud! only cuvée from the case auction or an experience from the live auction is only enhanced by knowing that you’ve also done something good.  So bid early and often.  I’ll be happy to be outbid by you or to pay more for an item because you did.  More later.