Kicking off California Wine Month, the 15th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction Weekend is scheduled for Labor Day weekend in neighboring Sonoma.

A popular, albeit irreverent wine auction — which caps off three days of fundraising for local charities — will take place Sunday, Sept. 2, on the grounds of Cline Cellars. Theme for this year’s auction is “The Wild Bunch.”

Event sponsors, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Foundation has just released a list of auction lots for this year’s auction.

Highlights from this year’s list of more than 55 auction lots include a fully loaded Toyota Prius and free gas for one year donated by Benziger Family Winery; an extravagant sparkling wine tour of Barcelona, Spain, hosted by Gloria Ferrer’s Eva Bertran; a stunning 137 bottle collection of 90-plus-point-rated Sonoma Valley wines donated by member wineries; a scenic French Canal Cruise for two donated by French Country Waterways; 15 etched commemorative Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction 15th Anniversary double magnums of Landmark’s Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir donated by Landmark Vineyards; and a professionally produced short film starring the winning bidder plus a VIP entourage package to the 2008 Sonoma Valley Film Festival presented by Three House MultiMedia.

For the first time, this year the SVVGF has upped the ante by inviting charity partners (those groups funded by auction proceeds) to develop their own lots.

“Our goal is to provide a platform for our charity partners to raise the maximum funds possible through this one event,” explained  foundation executive director Grant Raeside. “By developing their own auction lots, our charity partners will be able to supplement their pledged share of the auction’s proceeds with 100 percent of the proceeds from their individual lot.”

Highlights of the charity partner lots include a Scottish Highlands getaway and send-off party to benefit the Sonoma Valley Hospital Foundation and a six day tour for four to Buenos Aires and Argentina’s Mendoza wine region to benefit Sonoma Community Center.

Tickets to the 15th Annual Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction are offered at $500 per person. Seating is limited. For ticket purchase and full list of auction lots, visit www.sonomavalleywine.com.

Since its inception 15 years ago, the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction Weekend has established itself as one of the nation’s top wine auctions, drawing visitors from all over the world to the three day wine celebration and fundraiser. Over the years, the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction has donated more than $5 million vital funding to local charities serving children, vineyard and hospitality workers, their families and community healthcare.