Imagine 2005 Charity Wine Auction at Chalk Hill Winery Raises $2.5 Million for Sonoma and Russian Beneficiaries; Joe Montana is Top Bidder With Rolls-Royce Purchase

HEALDSBURG, Calif.--July 31, 2005--The Imagine 2005 benefit, one of the country's top charity wine auctions, more than doubled its previous year's take with over $2.5 million dollars raised on Saturday, July 30. Held at Fred and Peggy Furth's Chalk Hill Winery Estate, the exciting afternoon included a performance by the world-renowned Russian National Orchestra, conducted by Carlo Ponti, Jr., a gourmet luncheon and the opportunity to rub shoulders with sports, screen and TV stars.

The highlight of the afternoon was the spirited bidding by San Francisco 49er legend, Joe Montana and wife Jennifer, when they secured ownership of a limited-edition 80th anniversary Rolls-Royce Phantom. Franc D'Ambrosio, the longest-running lead in the smash musical, Phantom of the Opera, introduced the Rolls-Royce lot with a stirring performance. The Montanas were the top bidders of the day.

The top lot of the day was the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars lot at $380,000, followed by the $150,000 Stonestreet Farms package that included a private jet trip to tour leading horse farms in Lexington Kentucky and a rare six-liter bottle of 2001 Christopher's Cabernet Sauvignon from Stonestreet Winery. A lifetime membership in the Napa Valley Reserve, a private wine production and experience facility netted $100,000. A sit-down dinner with Robert Parker, Jr. sold $80,000. One of the five successful bidders was Master jeweler Michael Beaudry, who designed the diamond and ruby necklace featured in the Verite Winery lot.

The "awww-factor" lot of the afternoon was the "Terroir and the Terrier" lot, donated by Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson, that included a nine-liter bottle of Kendall-Jackson Highland Estates Napa Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon plus a West Highland Terrier puppy. With the popularity of puppy's personal appearance in the crowd, the terrier portion of lot was sold twice, bringing the total take to $39,000.

Among the celebrants at the auction were many familiar faces, including TV and film stars Jane Seymour, Kyle McLachlan, Sasha Alexander and Tommy Smothers, Olympic-gold and World Champion figure skater Brian Boitano, and soprano N'Kenge Simpson-Hoffman who also performed the American and Russian national anthems at the beginning of the afternoon.

Former NBA star, actor and producer John Salley participated in Imagine 2005 on Thursday, July 28, appearing as the narrator of a free children's concert in Santa Rosa performed by the Russian National Orchestra. Attended by 1500 school-age children who had been through a curriculum on classical music and art inspired by the music, the performance took the kids on an exploration of the imagination through pictures, words and classical music. The children's concert curriculum is being underwritten by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Imagine 2005 benefits Sonoma children's charities including Boys and Girls Club of Windsor, Sonoma Academy Scholarship Fund, Valley of the Moon Children's Foundation, WCC Charitable Foundation, in addition to youth programs of the Russian Arts Foundation which brings creative arts into Moscow orphanages, shelters and homes for disabled children. With costs entirely underwritten by sponsors, all proceeds go to the beneficiaries.

Imagine 2005 is co-chaired by Peggy and Fred Furth of Chalk Hill Estate and Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates. Honorary Directors for 2005 include Stacy and Mouli Cohen, William J. Curtis, Sally and Ray Duncan, Tim Gannon, Gordon Getty, Sandra and Tom Jordan, Simone and Scott Lutgert, Dr. Gordon Mueller, Peter T. Paul and William Shea, Jr.

Like wine, food and music, Imagine reaches across boundaries and borders to bring people together.

For further information on next year's event, please call 707-838-4306.

Photography available upon request.