Holiday in Carneros

Celebrate the 18th annual Holiday in Carneros Open House Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Eighteen wineries, which are located at the southern end of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys in the Carneros district, are expected to participate.

Admission is $25 per person. Purchase a logo glass at any participating winery on either day of the event. Admission includes the logo glass, wine tasting and unique offerings planned by the individual wineries that include food and wine pairings, live entertainment, barrel, reserve, vertical or library wine tastings

Proceeds from Holiday in Carneros admission will provide scholarships for students attending Napa Valley College and Santa Rosa Junior College. Funds will be earmarked for students who are studying wine-related subjects or whose families are in the wine business.

Some of the wineries expected to participate in Holiday in Carneros are Adastra, Artesa, Bouchaine, Buena Vista, Carneros Creek, Ceja, Cline, Curvare, Etude, Homewood, Larson Family, MacRostie, McKenzie-Mueller, Robledo, Schug, Tin Barn, Truchard and Viansa.

For more information about Holiday in Carneros, including a map to participating wineries, contact Hospitality de los Carneros at (800) 909-4352 (HDLC), or visit the Hospitality de los Carneros Web site at www.carneroswineries.org./Register

Salud! benefits

NVLA

Salud! a toast to learning, a gala fundraising evening, in the Lincoln Theater in Yountville, will take place on Saturday, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

This event will benefit Napa Valley Language Academy's afterschool enrichment program, which is free to all students at the dual language immersion elementary school.

Tickets will be limited to the first 250 people.

Raymond Winery is a major sponsor of the event, as well as ZD Wines. Greg Cole of Cole's Chop House and Celadon will be among the chefs preparing food for the evening. Master of ceremonies is KGO-TV Weatherman Spencer Christian, and the auctioneer is Spencer Charyn, founder and chief auctioneer of Charyn Auctions of San Francisco. Michele Dahlberg of Wine Secrets of Napa will chair the event.

Guest of honor at the auction will be Dick Grace of Grace Family Vineyard, whose wine, along with other world class wines will be going up for auction. Silent auction items will include a key to a personal wine cellar. Other enticing auction items include wines from Grace Family, Raymond, Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estates, Turley, Shafer Vineyards, Viader, Mi Sueo, Corison, Pahlmeyer, Darioush, Hess Collection, a scenic flight, day spas, B&Bs, family portraits, fine dining, tours and much, much more!

Tickets at $75 per person are limited to 250 for guests age 21 and over only. For information, call 253-3678./Register

Harvest Home benefit

The Napa Valley Shelter Project and Artesa Winery and Vineyards present Harvest Home, a benefit for Napa's shelters for homeless men, women and children Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. At Artesa Winery and Vineyards. The celebration features Artesa wines, hors d'oeuvres and sweets from local chefs, live music and silent auction. Tickets are $45. Artesa is located at 1345 Henry Road, Napa. For information, call 253-6103. /Register

'First Friday' at Carneros Creek

Dec. 1 from 5 to 7 p.m., Carneros Creek and Mahoney Vineyards will host an after hours gala. Photographer Greg Wright will be showing his renowned photographs, and "Room for Dessert" will tempt your sweet tooth with holiday treats. For $5 come out and enjoy great wine, wonderful art and tasty treats at 1285 Dealy Lane, Napa. For more information, call 253-9463./Register

Winter wine classes

at Goosecross

Starting this month, Goosecross Cellars will move its Goosecross University wine education classes to its downtown Napa tasting room, Wineries of Napa Valley, located at 1285 Napa Town Center.

The first class offered will focus on the unique qualities of Napa Valley and how these qualities are reflected in the fine wines produced from Napa vineyards. This one hour wine tasting and seminar explores the micro-climates, terroir and sub-appellations of Napa Valley along with growing conditions and winemaking techniques that contribute to each wine's unique character. This fun, one-hour experience also includes some tips on sensory evaluation, and wine and food pairings./Register