No event exemplifies the Oregon wine community’s renowned camaraderie and generosity in the same way as ¡Salud!, Oregon wine’s highlight event of the year. Top Pinot Noir producers again come together to offer wine lovers and collectors the opportunity to acquire their best cuvées of the highly-anticipated 2012 vintage with exclusive Pinot Noirs only available at Friday’s Big Board auction. Saturday’s gala dinner presents more opportunities to bid on exciting auction lots including spectacular and unique wine, culinary and travel packages.
The mission that unites a “who’s who” in Oregon wine is ¡Salud!, a program to provide much-needed access to healthcare for Oregon’s seasonal vineyard workers and their families. Currently, ¡Salud! reaches approximately 40% of northern Willamette Valley vineyards and their workers with healthcare and health education programs, filling a need for services that is rarely met elsewhere.
“Wineries cannot supply health care and other benefits to this vital workforce because they are only with individual vineyards for a short period of time, often just days or weeks,” says event co-chair Donna Morris of Wnderlea Vineyard & Winery. “To our understanding, no other agricultural industry in the country supports its seasonal workers at this level, and we donate our best wines as an impactful way to give back to the people who work hard to bring in the grapes to make outstanding wine.”
2013 ¡Salud! Pinot Noir Auction details:
Website: www.saludauction.org
Email: info@saludauction.org
Dates: November 8 and 9, 2013
Tickets: $395 includes:
Friday, Nov 8 Pinot Noir tasting and auction, 3:00-6:30 p.m. at Domaine Drouhin Oregon
Saturday, Nov 9 Dinner and Auction Gala, 5:00-10:00 p.m. at the Governor Hotel, Portland
Available through www.saludauction.org
Absentee bids: (503) 681-1850
Facebook: www.facebook.com/saludauction
Twitter: @saludauction
The ¡Salud! bi-lingual, bi-cultural team of medical professionals is led by Leda Garside, RN, MBA, recipient of the 2012 March of Dimes Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award.
In 2012, over 4,000 workers and family members were registered in the program, an increase of more than 10% over 2011. Over 7,400 medical and dental encounters were documented including:
3,483 dental procedures
1,510 medical clinic visits
638 flu and tetanus vaccinations
241 vision exams and glasses
499 diagnostics (x-ray/lab)
121 classes and certifications (CPR, first aid, etc.)
829 wellness clinics at the work site
97 major medical (emergency, surgery, hospitalization)
2013 “Vintners Circle” wineries:
Adelsheim Vineyard; Alexana Winery; Amalie Robert Estate; Antica Terra; ArborBrook Vineyards; Archery Summit; Argyle; Ayres Vineyard; Beaux Frères; Bergström Wines; Bethel Heights Vineyard; Brittan Vineyards; Brooks Winery; Chehalem; Cristom Vineyards; Dobbes Family Estate; Domaine Drouhin Oregon; Dukes Family Vineyards; Dusky Goose; Elk Cove Vineyards; Erath Winery; Hamacher Wines; Hyland Estates; Ken Wright Cellars; King Estate Winery; Lange Estate Winery; Patricia Green Cellars; Patton Valley Vineyard; Penner-Ash Wine Cellars; Ponzi Vineyards; R. Stuart & Co.; Raptor Ridge Winery; ROCO Winery; Scott Paul Wines; Shea Wine Cellars; Sokol Blosser; Soter Vineyards; St. Innocent Winery; Stoller Family Estate; Trisaetum; WillaKenzie Estate; Winderlea Vineyard & Winery and Witness Tree Vineyard
About ¡Salud!:
¡Salud! is a collaboration between Oregon winemakers and healthcare professionals to provide access to healthcare services for Oregon’s seasonal vineyard workers and their families. The relationship between vintners and physicians, united in their mission to benefit this essential workforce, is unique to Oregon. No other state in the country has such an effective and far-reaching program to support the seasonal worker population. Since 1992, the program has been supported by ¡Salud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction and other generous contributions. Since its inception, the mission has raised over $9 million and contributed to the health and wellbeing of thousands of individuals.
Contacts:
¡Salud! Lindsay Coon: Lindsay.Coon@tuality.org (503) 681-1850
Media: Sheila Nicholas: Sheila@NicholasCommunications.com (503) 550-8686
