SoCoBA VINTNER RESOURCES
The Sonoma County Barrel Auction (SoCoBA), presented by American AgCredit, is a live auction of wine futures handcrafted by the county’s top vintners. These Never Before, Never Again wines represent the stylistic range and world-class quality of Sonoma County. This exclusive auction is by invitation only for members of the wine trade and media. SoCoBA 2025 is an in-person event scheduled for May 1-2. Participating wineries must be members of Sonoma County Vintners or part of an AVA association collaboration lot.
Download our SoCoBA Marketing Toolkit to get the word out about the auction and generate excitement about your lot.
SoCoBA Event Logistics, Parking & Arrival for Vintners
Thursday, May 1 | 11:00am – 4:00pm
Lot Tasting Preview Event at Bacchus Landing
14210 Bacchus Landing Way, Healdsburg 95448
You will need to drive to Healdsburg to access the entrance to Bacchus Landing. If you are coming from the South/Western areas of Sonoma County, drive to Healdsburg on 101 and turn onto Westside Road to access the parking lot at Bacchus Landing. (There is a closure of Wohler Bridge and Westside Road access from the South/Western backroads).
Trade, media and sponsor guests will have the opportunity to sample the incredible Never Before, Never Again barrel auction lot wines and select current release wines throughout the day. Lot Tasting Tables will be placed along the shaded walkways, and guests will enjoy a relaxed pace and take this opportunity to meet with our participating vintners. Alfresco boxed lunches will be available between 12:00pm-2:00pm, with seating in the courtyard of the piazza.
Please note that participating vintners for the Lot Tasting Preview Event will have SoCoBA name tags. Credentials and catalogs will be provided to guests so they may easily locate your lot stations. Participating vintners who are attending the Sonoma County Barrel Auction will receive their credentials, table seating and catalogs at that time.
Parking & Arrival Information
- Please do not park in the main lot, as this is reserved for our trade and media guest parking.
- Vintner parking is available along the left side of the entrance road and parking attendants will be available to assist you with available spots.
- Carpooling with your team is highly recommended as parking is limited.
- A vintner drive thru wine drop-off is available for you to loop alongside the entrance to Bacchus Landing and drop off your event wines with our wine concierge team before you proceed to the vintner parking area. Your wines will be delivered to your lot tasting station while you park.
Check-in & Lot Tasting Stations
- Please plan to arrive by 9:45am to allow time for parking, check-in and set up of your lot station before guest arrival.
- The vintner check-in area will be just to the right as you enter.
- Pouring stations are arranged in lot order around the covered perimeter of the piazza.
- Each lot will have a 4’ table as a pouring station (8’ tables for collaboration lots with multiple vintners).
- Each station will have a table top sign with details about your auction lot, tasting glasses, a dump bucket, water carafe and SoCoBA logo wine opener. In between each lot station a shared ice tub and ice will be provided.
- Enjoy welcome pastries courtesy of SoCoBA Presenting Sponsor American AgCredit, along with coffee provided by Bella Rosa Coffee, while you are setting up your lot tasting station from 10:00am to 11:00am.
- Stop by The Clear 360 table to enter a giveaway for a Professional Glassware Polisher, and visit the Free Flow Wines station next to Lot 24, to learn more about their kegging services.
Event Wine
- All wines must be hand carried the day of the event.
- Please bring 8-12 bottles of your bottled barrel auction lot sample for the walk-around preview tasting. (Print and affix your wine details using any standard white label – for example Avery 2” x 4” labels).
- Take this opportunity to bring 1-2 current release wines that you would like to showcase at the event.
- Please bring enough wine to ensure enough for the entirety of the event.
- We anticipate approximately 350 attendees, including our participating vintners and over 200 trade, media and sponsor guests.
Friday, May 2 | 11:00am – 4:00pm
Auction Day at Landmark Vineyards Hop Kiln Estate
Event Parking is located off-site at Bacchus Landing
14210 Bacchus Landing Way, Healdsburg 95448
Welcome Reception
11:00am – 12:00pm
Luncheon and Honoree Celebration
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Barrel Auction
1:00pm – 4:00pm
Event Concludes
4:00pm
Parking & Arrival Information
- Please plan to arrive to park, shuttle and check-in between 10:00 – 10:30am before our auction guests, so we have a group of participating vintners to welcome them when they arrive at 11:00am.
- All parking will be off-site at Bacchus Landing. SoCoBA parking is available along the left side of the entrance road and parking attendants will be available to assist you with available spots. Please do NOT park in their main parking lot.
- Please allow 15 minutes for parking and shuttling to the event entrance. Shuttles will be looping continuously from the parking area to the venue and back throughout the day.
Event Wine
- All wines must be hand carried the day of the event.
- Please bring a few bottles of your barrel auction lot sample and a few special selections of finished wine to share with your auction table guests.
- The vintner check-in area will be the first registration station on the left as you enter the event area.
- After checking in to pick up your credential (which will list your table number on the back), you may drop off your table hosting wines at the wine concierge station. Our team will be available to concierge your wines to your auction table.
We will do our best to accommodate any preferred auction seating requests you have indicated. Please note that each table seats up to 12 people, and will have a mix of participating vintners and a few trade accounts.
#SoCoBA Participation Reminders
- One attendee for each event must include a Winemaker or Winery Principal that will be there for the entirety from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
- We ask that you don’t leave your lot tasting and auction tables unattended, so please plan accordingly for the duration of the events. For Auction day, we ask that you stay seated at your table after your lot sells, through the end of the auction, as a courtesy to all of our visiting trade & media attendees and other participating vintners. Thank you!
- When being seated at auction tables, please allow your trade guests a position with a view of the stage so they can see the auction lot slides on screen, and the auctioneer can easily spot and engage them as they are bidding.
- Please plan for your winery attendees to be on site from 10:00am to 4:30pm for the Lot Tasting Preview Event and for Auction Day, to check-in and be ready to greet trade and media guests when they arrive, and to bid them farewell as they depart.
Auction Attire
There’s no need for formal attire, don your business casual outfits, Sonoma County style for these outdoor events. Please note that Friday’s barrel auction will be held in a tent on the lawn, so please consider your footwear choices accordingly.
SoCoBA Confirmed Media Attendees
Please see the list of our confirmed media with their photos and short bios for you to easily identify and connect with them during the SoCoBA events.
Vintner Champion Meeting Resource Booklet
If you were unable to attend the Vintner Champion Meeting for the 2025 Sonoma County Barrel Auction, presented by American AgCredit and hosted at Region on January 23, you can download the SoCoBA resource booklet with everything you need to know about participating in this year’s SoCoBA.
Why Participate in SoCoBA?
The goal of the Sonoma County Barrel Auction is to elevate the image, perception and bottle price of Sonoma County wines. Be a participant in this rare opportunity to showcase an exclusive, one-of-a-kind wine to high caliber wine buyers and media from across the country. Engage with trade buyers in a meaningful way, reconnect and develop new, long-term connections for your brand.
NEW THIS YEAR: Trade attendees will have the opportunity to invite their top customers to join them at the SoCoBA events, creating even more market demand for these wines along with meaningful connections with our vintner community.
- A winery principal/winemaker must be available to attend all Sonoma County Barrel Auction events.
- Additional team members may also participate in the Lot Tasting Preview Event on Thursday, May 1, 2025.
We appreciate your participation and support!
Sonoma County Barrel Auction (SoCoBA) is produced by Sonoma County Vintners and presented by American AgCredit. Proceeds raised from SoCoBA assist in creating Sonoma County Vintners marketing programs and initiatives that support the wine trade and community.
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