Orianne Toast to Tortoises Wine Auction

**NOTE** This auction is open to residents of the State of Georgia only or individuals that are willing to meet in Georgia for delivery.

The funds generated from the Toast to Tortoises Wine Auction will go to further The Orianne Society's research, conservation and education efforts to conserve critical ecosystems for reptiles, amphibians, and other species that rely on these important habitats. Our current efforts include conserving species and habitats of the Great Northern Forests of the northeast, and the Appalachian Highlands and Longleaf Savannas of the southeast (where you will find many Gopher Tortoises!). We invite you to take the time to learn more about The Orianne Society and our work at www.orianne.org

We are immensely thankful for your support and the support of our board members, organization members, and friends of our organization that were so generous in making this auction come to fruition. Dr. Robert Beard has been so generous in sharing his wine cellar with us. Together, we are all doing more for conservation.

**NOTE FROM DR. BEARD**

All of the wines I am donating have been kept in ideal cellar conditions (55-60°F & 55-60% humidity) since their release. With few exceptions, I obtained them either directly from the winery or immediately on arrival in Savannah, Georgia (purchasing "futures" of Bordeaux prior to release).

Of the California vintages 1984 & 1985, Robert Parker called them "the best back-to-back vintages since 1973 & 1974". Wine Spectator gives the '85 vintage a "97" - the highest rating for the prior 20 vintages - and rated the 1986 vintage "a 95 - with classic structure and age-worthy".

While being age-worthy, these wines should be opened & appreciated in the near future. I opened '85 & '86 wines in recent weeks & they were still wonderful to drink. However, I recommend using an Ah-so wine opener, as my corkscrew tended to break up these older corks.

Every dollar you spend for your wine will go to the Orianne Society. If you should find that your wine is bad, please let me know (912-667-9758) & I will replace it with a wine that we both agree is of equal or greater value.

The Orianne Society is a nonprofit organization formed in 2008 and headquartered in the State of Georgia. Our mission is to conserve critical ecosystems for reptiles and amphibians using science, applied conservation, and education. We work to conserve species through very strategic initiative which are designed using a customized, science-based approach.

Specifically, we examine a particular conservation target, such as Eastern Indigo Snakes, and determine the research and applied conservation programs needed to conserve the species.

Each conservation target requires a customized plan for conservation, and we conduct a variety of research projects and use the results to inform a diverse set of applied conservation approaches while informing the public on the importance of these species.