St. Vincent de Paul will get his own wine label this month, and, befitting a saint who became the inspiration for a society that serves the poor around the world, the wines will be helping hungry and needy people in the valley.

The project is the result of a unique collaboration between Buck Bartolucci of Mont St. John Cellars and the St. John's Catholic Church chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Bob Theisen, president of chapter, and Dave Collins, a volunteer who was instrumental in setting up the partnership, will unveil the new St. Vincent de Paul wines at the Society's annual dinner and silent auction Nov. 13.

Both Theisen and Collins, as members of the St. Vincent Society, visit members of the community who've fallen on hard times, bringing help in the form of vouchers for food, medicines, gas or even a new pair of shoes to start a job. Three days a week, local St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are out in the community, making an average of five calls a day, but Theisen explained, they could be doing much more.

Theisen said there was a time as a volunteer in Napa he made as many as 14 calls in one day, when the society was operating five days a week. But as donations began to dry up, they cut back on their schedule, and a year ago, shut down. "We reopened in September," he said, on the modified schedule and began thinking of ways to generate more funds as calls for help and referrals continue to pour into their office at St. John's Church.

Enter Dave Collins, a Napa native who knows the community well from his years working for the Napa County Sheriffs Department. A member of St. John's parish, after his retirement he began volunteering with St. Vincent's. He also has a son-in-law, Dave Higgenbotham, who works at Mont St. John's.

Vintner Buck Bartolucci, a third generation Napa winemaker, grew up making wines in Oakville beneath Mt. St. John. In 1922 his grandfather was growing grapes that were shipped to San Francisco for people who, during Prohibition, were able to make wines for family use. The family was able to make its first commercial wine when Prohibition ended in 1933. In 1970, Bartolucci relocated the family enterprise to Carneros, buying 160 acres. "We're fortunate to have an active tasting room," he said, so they are able to produce "quite a few varieties for a small winery." In addition to chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir, they make a pinot grigio, gewurztraminer, riesling, dolcetto and a dessert wine.

"I've been here making wine for years and years and years, " Bartolucci said. "I try to be a good neighbor."

So when Theisen and Collins approached him for help, Bartolucci, another member of St. John's parish, was on board for what he calls "a good will project."

As a result, St. Vincent's name and face will go on two premium wines from the Carneros appellation, a 2003 chardonnay, and a 2003 pinot noir, as well as a classic 2001 Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon from the winemakers of Mont St. John. Jim DeCrevel, an nationally known label artist, has donated his skills to create the embossed, "old school" label. The wines will be selling for $16 a bottle, or $48 for variety pack of the three varietals.

The wines will be released at the annual St. Vincent de Paul dinner and silent auction Nov. 13, which is the organization's major fundraiser. It's a complete pasta and meatball dinner, a tradition begun by the Carl Sciambra in 1990 in response to the needs of hungry people in the community. As in Sciambra's home town in Italy, there is no charge for the dinner but donations are accepted for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, as well as donations of non-perishable foods for the Society's Thanksgiving basket program. It takes place from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. at St. John's Parish Hall, 924 Napa St.

The Society will be taking orders for the wines at the event. "We are hoping to make it an annual thing," Theisen said of the new wine sale. "Our goal is to get back to visiting needy people five days a week."

For more information about the wine sales or the St. Vincent dinner, call Bob Theisen at 253-8299.