Well, okay, let's be honest - it isn't just the Cares department here that loves the boozin'. We're not really snooty but we know what we like and we like good wine so we're saving our pennies to be able to go to the San Francisco Wine Auction on April 29th. Tickets are $250, so if anyone is thinking that they'd like to get SFist a really early Christmas present we could probably find something appropriate to dry-clean.

The auction, in its 29th year, features a dinner by Michael Mina and 50 live auction and 100 silent auction lots from Chalk Hill, Far Niente, Joseph Phelps and many others. They'll also auction off "Lifestyle Lots" of tours and other fancy-pants experiences. There's a tasting before dinner so you can have a chance to experience what you'll be bidding on. If your day job has some deep pockets you might also be able to get them to sponsor a whole table for $4,000 or $10,000. Though, if they did that, frankly we have to ask - why can't they just give you a raise already?!

Oh, right, the charity bit. So, proceeds from the auction go to The Guardsmen, which provides outdoor activies and experiences and educational scholarships to disadvantaged youth. Last year, the auction raised $200,000.

The San Francisco Wine Auction will be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Westin St. Francis on Friday, April 29th. Tickets are $250 in advance.