2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival Online Auction Raises an ADDITIONAL $850,000
2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival Online Auction Raises More Than $850,000
This brings total NWWF online auction proceeds to nearly $5.2 million since inception in 2015 helping to fulfill the mission of the Naples Children & Education Foundation
The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), is pleased to announce that its 11th annual online auction was another tremendous success, bringing in more than $850,000. This year, we also had a special event preceding the online auction which raised $80,000, taking us to more than $930,000 of additional support for NCEF. This year’s online auction proceeds bring the total amount raised through the online auction to nearly $5.2 million since its inception in 2015.
The online auction drew bidders from across the country, giving them the chance to bid on over 100 incredible auction lots, including rare collectible wines, private wine tastings, over-the-top dinners with well-known chefs, exotic vacations, custom art, luxury excursions, sports and more.
This year’s top grossing online auction lot was “The Unparalleled VIP Experience with Cameron Mitchell.” One winning bidder paid $41,000 for one Prime Social Reserve VIP Access membership for two years with a dedicated reservations concierge providing access to all Cameron Mitchell restaurants nationwide for the VIP member, spouse, immediate children under age 26, and the spouses of immediate children under age 26. This includes Prime Social Reserve, an exclusive, reservation-only, dining, lounge and rooftop experience off Fifth Avenue South unlike any concept in Naples. The winning bidder will have two years of dining worth $10,000 in annual fees and will have the one-time VIP Access Reservation Fee of $25,000 waived as well.
Additional online auction highlights included:
• $38,000 for “Experience the High Points of Napa Valley”: Six couples will enjoy an exclusive visit to Napa Valley with three nights’ accommodations at the stunningly refurbished Amizetta Farmhouse with six ensuite bedrooms in Yountville, California. During their stay, guests will experience a private chef dinner in the Amizetta Farmhouse, a VIP wine tasting at Forman Vineyard, a Secret Garden tour with private wine tasting at Hill Family Estate, an estate tour including barrel tasting with the winemaker at Gamble Estate, a private wine tasting at Aonair Winery, and a tour and tasting at David Arthur Vineyards in Pritchard Hill. The couples also will share a collection of rare collectible wines, including one 9 Liter bottle of 2021 Aonair Mountains Proprietary Blend, one 1.5 Liter bottle of 2020 Forman Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon signed by winemaker Ric Forman, and one 1.5 Liter bottle of 2021 David Arthur Elevation 1147 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
• $35,000 for “Experience Del Dotto Vineyards in Napa Valley”: Four couples will enjoy three nights’ accommodations at Villa Piazza at Piazza Del Dotto in Napa, California, featuring ensuite bedrooms and private deck with views and pool. The couples will enjoy delicacies by Del Dotto, including a VIP private barrel tasting at the Piazza Del Dotto caves followed by a wine-paired lunch in the garden. The winning bidders also will receive a collection of fine wines, including one 1.5 Liter 2013 Del Dotto Vineyards The Beast Cabernet Sauvignon in a caged wooden box; two 750ml 2013 Del Dotto Vineyards Bubbles Sparkling Late Disgorged; one 750ml 2018 Del Dotto Vineyard 887 Cabernet Sauvignon; one 750ml 2018 Del Dotto Family Winery Villa Del Lago Cabernet Sauvignon; one 750ml 2018 Piazza Del Dotto Oakville Winery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon; one 750ml 2019 Del Dotto Howell Mountain Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; one 750ml 2019 Del Dotto Rutherford Estate Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; one 750ml 2019 Del Dotto St. Helena Mountain Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; two 750ml 2021 Del Dotto Family Reserve Chardonnay; and two 750ml 2021 Piazza Del Dotto Bubbles Sparkling Brut Rosé.
• $31,000 for “An Italian Sunday Dinner with the Gargiulo’s”(sold twice for $15,500 each):This unique experience invites 10 lucky couples to join NCEF Trustees Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo, owners of Gargiulo Vineyards, with a special musical guest for a traditional Italian Sunday dinner featuring fabulous food, wine and music at the Gargiulo’s private home in Naples or their home in Napa, California. The memorable meal will be personally prepared by the Gargiulos and paired with wines from Jeff’s personal cellar.
• $30,000 for “Gateway to Wine Country with Knights Bridge Winery” (sold twice for $15,000 each): Each winning couple and two more wine-loving couples will enjoy three nights at the newly renovated Bailey Vineyard House with a VIP vineyard tour and tasting at Knights Bridge Winery near downtown Calistoga, California. The couples also will enjoy a multi-course lunch prepared by estate chef Richard Whipple and paired with Knights Bridge wines along with chauffeured transportation in a Cadillac Escalade. Each winning bidder also will receive one 1.5 Liter bottle of 2016 Knights Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon.
• $24,000 for “Key West: Mile Marker 0”: Four guests will enjoy a three-day, two-night Key West fishing adventure with two nights’ accommodations at The Galleon Resort & Marina and one day of offshore fishing on a 46-foot Valhalla with an experienced Captain. The trip includes Roundtrip, Private Air on a Phenom 300 from Naples to Key West.
• $18,500 for “VIP Orlando Magic Experience: Do You Believe in Magic?”: Four guests will travel Roundtrip, Private Air on a Northern Jet Citation CJ3 from Naples to Orlando where they will receive four courtside tickets to a 2025 Orlando Magic home game. The winners also will receive two custom bomber or sports jackets by élevée by Rickey Lamitie, dinner in the Assured Partners Lounge for four people, and one night’s accommodation in two rooms at the Marriott Orlando Downtown with private ground transportation.
• $18,000 for “Six Bottle Vertical Collection of Pappy Van Winkle”: One lucky bidder will take home a legendary vertical collection of highly sought after Pappy Van Winkle Kentucky bourbon, including one 750ml bottle each of Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year, Pappy Van Winkle 20-Year, Pappy Van Winkle 15-Year, Pappy Van Winkle 13-Year, Pappy Van Winkle 12-Year, and Pappy Van Winkle 10-Year.
• $17,000 for “Timeless Jewelry in a New York Minute”: Two couples will experience two nights’ accommodations at NCEF Emeritus Trustee Dave Gibbons’ apartment on Fifth Avenue in New York City, overlooking Central Park. The couples also will enjoy a Southern Italian dinner with house selected wine at Carbone in Greenwich Village. The winning bidder also will receive one Kaspar & Esh 14k gold and diamond chevron bracelet.
• $16,000 for “Four Cases of Napa Valley Reserve”: The winner bidder will receive a special vertical collection of The Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages in full cases containing 12 bottles each in 750ml format.
• $16,000 for “Luxurious Palm Beach Getaway” for Six Couples”: This extraordinary getaway starts with two nights’ accommodations in Superior Suites at The Colony Hotel Palm Beach. While there, the couples will enjoy dinner at Swifty’s, the Florida outpost of a legendary New York restaurant. Each couple will also receive one $1,000 gift card for Diane Firsten and a $1,000 shopping voucher for Marissa Collections as well as and a private styling and culinary experience at Marissa Collections’ Palm Beach Penthouse.
Every dollar spent in the online auction helps fulfill NCEF’s mission to improve the educational, emotional and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.
This year marked the 25th anniversary of the NWWF, impacting close to 90 of the most effective nonprofit organizations in the community and providing 350,000 at-risk and underprivileged children with the essential services and resources they need to excel. An amazing lineup of the world’s most acclaimed vintners, celebrity chefs and featured sommeliers hailing from multiple countries set the stage for a weekend of unique, one-of-a-kind wine and culinary experiences.
During the live auction, festival guests were inspired to bid high and often on 52 unique, one-of-a-kind auction lots, many of which included exceptional wine lots from some of the most revered vineyards across the globe, raising over $34 million for underserved children in Collier County. This brings the total raised by the NWWF to more than $336 million since its inception in 2001.
Using the funds raised from this year’s Festival, NCEF will award grants to local organizations and fund strategic initiatives supporting Collier County children in need on March 17, 2025.
*Please note donations are still coming in and bids are being certified.
About Naples Winter Wine Festival
The Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, offers a weekend of unforgettable memories. Guests enjoy world-class food and wine during intimate dinners in elegant, private homes and other landmark settings throughout Naples and are invited to bid on once-in-a-lifetime travel and wine experiences during an electrifying live auction. Since its inaugural event in 2001, the NWWF has raised more than $336 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Collier County.
About Naples Children & Education Foundation
The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, is improving the educational, emotional and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCEF has impacted close to 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 350,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel. NCEF’s unique approach, which emphasizes collaboration between organizations and bridges public and private resources, has become a blueprint for how to transform a community, one issue at a time.
For additional information on the Naples Children & Education Foundation or the Naples Winter Wine Festival, contact Lisa Juliano at lisa@napleswinefestival.com or 239-514-2239.
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