(Wines&Vines) - Winesong, one of the longest running charity wine auctions on the West Coast, grossed more than $700,000 in its 32nd installment this year and included one spectacular auction lot that brought in $210,000 all by itself.

Beyond the free-flowing wine, gourmet bites from local chefs and dramatic bidding, the annual event doesn’t fit the usual model of a wine region fundraiser. Winesong takes place in Mendocino County, which has a thriving wine industry, yet the auction and associated tastings are not conducted amid vineyards but instead surrounded by native plants and rare imported specimens at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens overlooking the Pacific surf.