Sansum Diabetes Research Institute hosts its signature event of the year, the 6^th Annual Taste of the Vine & Auction, on Sunday, October 21, from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. at Santa Barbara Woman’s Club, at Rockwood in Mission Canyon.

Event proceeds support medical research to cure, treat, and prevent diabetes in children and adults.

Enjoy the bounty from over 30 purveyors of fine wine and gourmet food, live and silent auctions, and flamenco rumba-style music by Luna Gitana band in the oak-studded patio and historic buildings at the Woman’s Club. Board members Ellen Goodstein and Christopher Haskell join the leadership team of Gloria Kaye, Ph.D., Robert Waldman, Tom Hansen, and George Primbs, M.D., to orchestrate this fundraiser.

Santa Barbara’s own Peter Noone, who at age 15 was the lead singer of the legendary Sixties pop band “Herman’s Hermits,” will be the celebrity chair at the event. You may remember one of his popular hits: “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter.”

One-of-a-kind auction items include week-long luxury accommodations in Tuscany, Provence, and Kauai; 52 bottles of wine for a year; private, catered gourmet dinners; wine and restaurant packages; and 200 other exciting items.

Purveyors donating their fares include Au Bon Climat, Beckmen Vineyards, Bridlewood Winery, Cambria Winery & Vineyard, Carina Cellars, Cliffs & Co., Giessinger Winery, Herzog Wine Cellars, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, Malibu Vineyards, Qupe, Summerland Winery, Telegraph Brewing Company, Bella Dolce, Cabot Creamery, California Pizza Kitchen, Fresco Café, Our Daily Bread, Outback Steakhouse, Quantum Kitchen and Cocktails, Santa Barbara Catering Company, SBCC-School of Culinary Arts, Santa Barbara Olive Co., Secret Ingredient, UCSB Faculty Club, Via Maestra 42, World Cuisine Express, and others.

Top sponsors to date include Rudy Schulte Family Foundation, Rabobank, Tim and Louise Casey, Boyd Communications, Bryant & Sons Jewelers, Northern Bank and Trust, and Jim and Amy Sloan.

Additional sponsors are Victor and Kathleen Bottiani; Business Office Systems Stockton; Community West Bank; Damitz, Brooks, Nightingale, Turner & Morrisset, CPA’s; Andy Granatelli; Marborg, Industries;  Medical Group Pathology Lab; Pedersen Architects; Price, Postel & Parma, LLC; Frank Schipper Construction Company; Siemens Medical Solutions; and Mrs. Evalyn Wais.