¡Salud!

¡Salud! is uniquely Oregon and represents a collaboration between Oregon winemakers and healthcare professionals to provide access to health care for Oregon’s seasonal vineyard and winery workers and their families. A dedicated group of vintners and Tuality Healthcare physicians created ¡Salud!, named for the traditional Spanish toast, “To your health!” In 2008 alone, over 3,000 seasonal workers and their family members received health education and healthcare through ¡Salud!

This year’s Eighteenth Annual ¡Salud! Oregon Pinot Noir Auction will be held on November 13 and 14, 2009. Guests are invited to a Big Board Auction at Domaine Drouhin Oregon where Pinot Noir aficionados can sample and acquire some of Oregon’s finest Pinot Noirs from the 2008 vintage. 42 of Oregon’s top Pinot Noir producers (the “Vintner’s Circle”) craft five cases of a special ¡Salud! Pinot Noir cuveé, four cases of which are then offered at the Big Board Auction. Attendees can mingle with the celebrated winemakers, enjoy the Northwest cuisine that is offered, and sample the exclusive cuveés. These exclusive cuveés are not available in stores, restaurants or tasting rooms. The following day, a formal dinner and auction is held in Portland at the Governor Hotel where an impressive collection of one-of-a-kind live and silent auction items are offered along with a dinner to complement the featured Oregon wines. This two-day event raised over $735,000 last year.

Participating wineries in The Vintner’s Circle include: Adelsheim Vineyard, Amalie Robert Estate, Antica Terra, ArborBrook Vineyards, Archery Summit, Argyle, Ayres Vineyard, Beaux Fréres, Bergström Wines, Bethel Heights Vineyard, Chehalem, Cristom Vineyards, Dobbes Family Estate, Domaine Drouhin Oregon, Elk Cover Vineyards, Erath Vineyards, Evening Lands Vineyards, Hamacher Wines, Ken Wright Cellars, King Estate Winery, Lange Estate, Maysara Winery, Patricia Green Cellars, Patton Valley Vineyards, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, Ponzi Vineyards, R. Stuart & Co., Raptor Ridge Winery, Rex Hill Vineyards, Scott Paul Wines, Shea Wine Cellars, Silvan Ridge, Sólena Cellars, Soter Vineyards, St. Innocent Winery, Stoller Vineyards, Torii Mor, Westrey Wine Company, WillaKenzie Estate, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Winderlea and WitnessTree Vineyard.

A limited number of tickets are available online at www.saludauction.org. For more information or to donate to the auction, contact Maria McCandless at maria@mccandless@tuality.org.