If you love wine, now is the time to consider attending the Auction of Washington Wines three-day event to benefit Seattle Children’s uncompensated care program and the Washington Wine Education Foundation.

Washington state is the second-largest wine producer in the United States with more 700 wineries, and the best will be part of this event on on Aug. 18-20. Thursday is the Picnic & Barrel Auction at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville. Here, you can rub elbows with Washington winemakers as they mingle amongst the crowd and pour tastings of their releases. You also will have the opportunity to bid on some of Washington’s most coveted limited-release wines, along with the opportunity to taste and purchase still-aging wine that is in the barrel waiting to be bottled.

Friday, Aug. 19 is the winemaker dinners where 15 wineries and chefs will create a memorable meal with great Washington wine.

The 24th annual Wine Gala will be held on the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle on Aug. 20. Guests will enjoy a six-course meal prepared by some of the area’s best chefs. Each table will be hosted by a Washington state winemaker who will pair and pour wines from their collection. There will be 30 one-of-a-kind Washington wine experiences auctioned this night, including the opportunity for two to attend the season finale fashion show of Project Runway on Sept. 9 in New York City and meet supermodel and host, Heidi Klum. That will be followed by dinner in NYC with wine makers Eric Dunham and Kyle MacLaughlin.

Another item that looks amazing is a one-week luxurious cruise around the world with the Betz Family Winery aboard The World private cruise ship. The cruise begins in Cape Town, South Africa, before heading to Australia, New Zealand and the French Polynesia. Next the ship heads to the West Coast of the United States (including a stop in Seattle), then up and around the Northwest Passage, by Greenland, down the East Coast, finally finishing the week in the Caribbean. And of course, Betz wine will be available for every meal on the cruise.

Since its inception in 1988, Auction of Washington Wines has raised more $24 million. Check out info@auctionofwashingtonwines.org for more details

Rose Dennis writes about events in Bellevue and the Greater Seattle area.