A case of 2007 Chateau Latour valued at $5,400 is among the rarevintages up for bid in the "Wine Without Borders" Online FundraisingWine Auction to help support an effort to overturn laws prohibiting theshipment of wine across state borders.

Chateau Latour describes its 2007 vintage as possessing “thegenerosity, the maturity and the richness of the tannins.” The harvestwhich ended on Oct.15, 2007, “took place in good climatic conditions,”Chateau Latour said on its Web site. “The botrytis was visible but verylimited to some plots and perfectly removed thanks to the sorting inthe vineyard. The first tastings after alcoholic fermentation show agood palette of aromas still discreet but beautiful tannic texture,rich, soft with lovely structure.”

The auction, which opened this week and runs through Nov. 19, issponsored by the Specialty Wine Retailers Association (SWRA) andWineCommune.com.

Wine enthusiasts must register online atwww.winecommune.com/help/swra.cfm. As of Wednesday morning, the highestbid on the 2007 Chateau Latour (futures) case was $4,860.

"Between 2000 and 2008, more than $65 million was given to statepolitical campaigns by special interests that oppose the idea of winelovers buying wine online," said Tom Wark,executive director of the SWRA. "We shouldn't be surprised that today,in the 21st century, 36 states help these same well-heeled specialinterests with protectionist laws that ban the shipment of winedirectly to consumers in their states."

Also on the block are: a case of 2007 Mouton Rothschild (futures)valued at $5,160; a case of 2008 Haut Brion (futures) valued at $3,300;a case of 2008 Haut Brion (futures) valued at $3,000; a case of 2008 LaMission Haut Brion (futures) valued at $2,220; a case of 2008Ducru-Beaucaillou (futures) valued at $1,200; a case of 2008 ChateauMontrose (futures) valued at $875; and a case of 2007 Chateau Leoville Barton (futures) valued at $720; a bottle 2003 Martinelli Jackass Vineyard Zinfandel. Among thewines available for immediate consumption are: a bottle 2003 MartinelliJackass Vineyard Zinfandel for $100; a bottle of 1996 Veuve Cliquot LeGrand Dame for $170, two bottles for $340 or three for $500.