Cab for The Cure: Foothills Wineries Support Important Women's Health Cause

Talk about a good idea that contributes to a good cause -- Holly Dismukes has created a hop-on-the-bandwagon concept that can benefit both wineries and breast cancer research. It’s the “Cabernet For The Cure” event to be held for the third year with the participation of 7 good-hearted wineries in the Fair Play AVA (El Dorado county).

Holly lives near Sacramento, and she says that although she is not in the wine industry, “I absolutely love wine.” She and her husband Brian and her brother Casey Steel have been going to wineries in the Sierra Foothills for 15 years or so. Holly’s job as a staff accountant at Sysco gives her leisure time on weekends to enjoy the wine tourism that’s become such an important part of the Sierra Foothill areas near Sacramento.

The concept development for Cabernet for the Cure was simple. “I’ve been doing the Walk for the Cure for a few years in Sacramento, and so when I go wine tasting in the Foothills, I’ve asked wineries from time to time to donate to the Susan G. Komen cause. Three years ago, Single Leaf, Iverson and Windwalker helped me formalize this idea with the first Cabernet for the Cure event. More wineries join in every year.”

20 – 50 – 150 people and, now, 7 wineries

Holly is not herself a breast cancer survivor, but she believes this is a good thing to be doing for all the women who can be affected. The first year, 20 people showed up. Last year, 50. And now, all 150 “tickets” (tee-shirts) to the afternoon barbeque that keynotes the event at Single Leaf Winery are sold out, ten days before the deadline.

Wine lovers can still participate in the tasting/donation part of the event by asking for a pink ribbon at the tasting rooms of the seven wineries, or by showing a print-out of the poster. The wineries will donate between $2 and $5 a bottle for each bottle of their wine purchased. (Linda Neal of Mellowood, who alerted me to the event, tops the pack by donating $5 per bottle. Atta girl, Linda! Good on you!)

All donations flow through directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. What does Holly Dismukes get out of this? Pennies in heaven, I hope.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The participating wineries are Busby Cellars, Iverson Winery, Mellowood Vineyards, Perry Creek Winery, Sierra Oaks Estates, Single Leaf Winery, and Windwalker Vineyard. Click on any of the winery names to go to their websites.
To make your tour to Fair Play easier, here are the winery addresses:


Busby Cellars
6375 Grizzly Flat Rd
Fair Play, CA 95684


Iverson Winery
8061 Perry Creek Road
Fair Play, CA 95684


Mellowood Vineyards
2979 Mellowood Drive
Fair Play, CA 95684


Perry Creek Winery
7400 Perry Creek Rd
Fair Play, CA 95684


Sierra Oaks Estates
6713 Mt. Aukum Rd
Fair Play, CA 95656


Single Leaf Winery
7480 Fairplay Road
Fair Play, CA 95684


Windwalker Vineyard
7360 Perry Creek Rd
Fair Play, CA 95684