25TH ANNUAL NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL RAISES MORE THAN $34 MILLION
25TH ANNUAL NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL RAISES MORE THAN $34 MILLION
TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF UNDERSERVED CHILDREN IN COLLIER COUNTY
Exhilarating live auction day highlighted by an astounding $1.7 million for a 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible with Mulliner configuration and VIP Bentley experience at Monterey Car Week; two “Million Dollar” experiences for 40 lucky couples each, including an acoustic concert with Scotty McCreery at The Club Room at Campiello and an exclusive Italian dinner at Bleu Provence with celebrity chef Angelo Auriana; and an indulgent yachting voyage along the Croatian Coast for four couples aboard the 122-foot Navilux private charter yacht
The 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) hit a high note this weekend with patrons showing incredible generosity at the exhilarating live auction, generating more than $34 million to support at-risk and underprivileged children in Collier County. This brings the total amount raised by the NWWF to over $336 million since its inception in 2001.
Festival attendees once again came together under the big tent just outside The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón to bid on 52 unique, one-of-a-kind wine, travel and culinary live auction lots, many of which included wines from some of the world’s most revered vineyards. All proceeds will support some of the most effective nonprofit organizations in the community that have so far provided 350,000 local children with the essential services and resources they need to excel.
Among this year’s top auction lots were:
• “Driving at the Speed of Bentley” for $1.7 million: One lucky couple took home a 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible with Mulliner configuration in Damson exterior paint and Dark Grey Metallic exterior roof color before traveling to enjoy a four-night VIP Bentley experience at Monterey Car Week from August 14, 2025 to August 18, 2025. The trip begins with Roundtrip, First Class Airfare from any major city in the United States or Canada to the California Bay Area where guests will enjoy four nights’ luxury accommodations at The Inn at Spanish Bay. During their stay, they will receive two tickets to Bentley’s VIP Terrace during The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering at The Quail Lodge & Golf Club and two VIP tickets to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with access to The Bench hospitality suite at The Lodge. Guests also will enjoy Thursday’s VIP Welcome Reception and Sunday’s Farewell Gathering at The Inn at Spanish Bay fire pits, exclusive access to Friday night’s Bentley Beach Dinner on Seal Rock Beach and access to Saturday night’s VIP invitation only The Bentley Signature Party at The Beach & Tennis Club, plus one round of golf with Bentley Americas’ President and CEO Michael Rocco.
• “Million Dollar Night of Music with Scotty McCreery” for $1 million:40 couples each contributed $25,000 to attend an exclusive acoustic concert featuring award-winning artist Scotty McCreery at The Club Room at Campiello in Naples, Florida on Thursday, December 11, 2025. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a delectable dinner served with wines and a live performance by McCreery. This North Carolina native first came onto the national scene when he made history in 2011 as both the first country artist and the youngest male artist of any genre to debut his first studio album, the Platinum-certified Clear As Day, at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 Album chart. Since then, he’s racked up the accolades, including being an ACM and CMT award winner and being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.
• “MILLION DOLLAR MEAL … ALL for the Kids!” for $1 million: 40 couples also each contributed $25,000 for the opportunity to indulge in an exclusive Italian dinner on November 18, 2025 at Bleu Provence in Naples, Florida. The multi-course meal will be prepared by Celebrity Chef and NWWF 2025 Chef de Cuisine Angelo Auriana. A native of Bergamo, Italy, near the culinary capital of Milan, Auriana partnered with Matteo Ferdinandi and Francine Diamond-Ferdinandi in 2013 to launch Factory Place Hospitality Group, opening the trattoria-style The Factory Kitchen that year followed by the Milan-inspired BRERA Ristorante in 2016. Both restaurants reflect the veteran chef’s pride in Italian cuisine and heartfelt desire to introduce diners to authentic dishes from Northern Italy. All food, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are included in this exclusive opportunity.
• “Set Sail Along the Croatian Coastline” sold for $850,000: Four couples will embark on an eight-night indulgent yachting voyage along the Croatian Coast from either June 14-22, 2025 or July 19-27, 2025. Based on the dates of travel, the couples will fly either One-Way, Private Air from New York or Boston to Croatia or from Croatia to New York or Boston on a Citation Longitude. Business Class Airfare will be provided for the departing or returning flight that does not include Private Air. In Croatia, guests will enjoy one night’s accommodation at a luxury hotel in Dubrovnik or Split before their seven-night journey aboard the 122-foot Navilux private charter yacht. The Navilux features five staterooms, 16’ tender, watersport equipment, Jacuzzi and a crew of eight to attend to every need. A curated itinerary will include stops in locations such as Brač, Hvar, Korčula, Mljet and Šipan, featuring the finest in culture, food and wine. Breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by an onboard private chef is included through the duration of the stay. Each winning couple also will receive a Magnum of 2022 Knights Bridge Draco Dormiere, Estate Vineyard, Knights Valley.
• “The Art of Time with Staglin and Panerai” sold twice for $800,000 each ($1.6 million total): Two couples will journey on an exclusive trip to Switzerland hosted by renowned vintners Shari and Garen Staglin and luxury watch designer Panerai. The trip begins with Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare from any major city in the contiguous United States to Geneva. While there, the couples will enjoy three nights’ luxury accommodations, access to private dates of Watches and Wonders in April 2026, a private tour and lunch at the Panerai Manufacture in Neuchâtel, a private walking tour of Old Town Geneva, dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant and lunch at Café Papon, serving classic “farm-to-table” Swiss cuisine. The couples will then travel to Lausanne for three nights’ luxury accommodations. They also will enjoy a private tour of the Olympic Museum, a 90-minute boat ride with lunch on Lake Geneva, wine tasting at Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces in Grandvaux, a full day visit to Chamonix, including a cable car ride up to the Aiguille du Midi, and dinner each night at the hotel or at Michelin-starred restaurants. The couples also will each receive a 6-Liter bottle of 2022 Staglin Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, etched with the NWWF 2025 Logo in a special wooden box, and a set of Panerai watches with custom NWWF 25th anniversary engraving and strap embossing.
• “Meet Me on the Right Bank” for $800,000: Up to 5 couples will have a five-night immersive experience at one of the great Bordeaux wine estates, complemented by tastings and visits to neighboring properties, Michelin-starred cuisine and relaxation and serenity among the vines. Château Troplong Mondot sits near the top of the Saint-Émilion classification as a Premier Grand Cru Classé. The winning bidders’ party will have exclusive use of the château itself, a magnificent yet modern home completely renovated in 2019. Along with a tour of the estate and a VIP tasting, The Bordeaux Concierge will coordinate visits to five of Troplong Mondot’s illustrious neighbors, all ranked as Grand Cru Classé. The visits will be intimate and personal, with private tastings with key members of the property’s team followed by lunch at three of the estates. The couples will also dine at the Michelin-starred restaurant Les Belles Perdrix and savor a private yoga class and massages.
• “Through the Centuries and Generations of Marchesi Antinori” for $750,000: Two couples will embark on an eight-night Italian wine journey through the iconic Antinori estates with two nights in Junior Suites at Helvetia & Bristol Firenze, private tours, fine dining and a private breakfast on the terrace of the Fratelli Piccini atelier. They will fly Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to Italy where they will explore Chianti Classico with two nights at Villa Tignanello, enjoying exclusive estate tours, tastings and Michelin-starred dining. In Umbria, they will stay two nights at Castello della Sala with wine experiences and a visit to Orvieto for shopping and exploring. The trip concludes with two nights at Rome’s Villa Alberico, featuring a visit to Principe Alberico Estate and cellar and a private, tailor-made guided tour of the city. The couple also will enjoy a rare collection of three Jeroboams and four Magnums of Antinori wines.
• “Eastbound Westbound: A Journey through Napa and Bordeaux” for $750,000: Two couples will enjoy this exclusive seven-day, six-night luxury experience with an insider’s view of both Napa Valley and Bordeaux, hosted by ADAMVS and Château Fonplégade Proprietor Denise Adams. The Napa portion of the trip includes a biodynamic vineyard tour, a farm-to-table dinner at the estate, a private screening of the documentary Eastbound Westbound, a private tour of Kramlich Residence and Collection and meals at the finest wine country restaurants. At Château Fonplégade, they will stay at the château’s private residence, create their own personal Bordeaux blend, have a private hands-on cooking class and visit top Right Bank properties. The winners also receive a collection of wines from both estates in Jeroboam and standard sizes, as well as bottles of their custom blended wine. One-Way Private Air from Napa, California to Bordeaux on a Gulfstream 550 is included.
• La Dolce Vita: A Lake Como Dream” for $700,000: Three lucky couples will spend six nights in ultimate luxury in Italy with Black Book Villas in September or October 2025. The trip begins with five nights at Villa Breakwater Griante on the western shore of Lake Como. The villa features over 20,400 square feet of elegant lakefront living space with eight bedroom suites, a cinema room, spa, heated pool and spacious terraces. The couples will explore Lake Como with a private boat tour, aperitivi at Hotel Passalacqua and Mandarin Oriental and a selection of Roccapesta and Vanzini wines. The Italian experience concludes with one night in Suites at the BVLGARI Hotel Milano.
• “Castles, Cuisine and Baltic Coastlines” for $700,000: Two couples will spend three magical nights in Copenhagen, followed by a seven-night voyage through Scandinavia and the Baltics onboard one of the most luxurious vessels at sea: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. This 10-night trip will take place Monday, July 21-Thursday, July 31, 2025. After visits to museums and castles and a guided gastronomic tour of the city, they will board the superyacht Ilma with a capacity of only 448 passengers and the highest ratio of space per guest at sea. Guests will enjoy elevated cuisine and Grand Suites offering luxurious living and dining space as well as a spacious terrace. Ports include Karlskrona, Sweden; Gdańsk, Poland; Helsinki, Finland; Tallinn, Estonia; and Mariehamn, Åland Islands, Finland, before disembarking in Stockholm. Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare is included to Copenhagen and returning from Stockholm.
Paying homage to the past 25 years of accomplishments, this year’s Fund a Need, “Fund the Future,” brought in on-the-spot contributions of over $5.8 million to support all seven of NCEF’s strategic initiatives, including Early Learning, Healthcare, Hunger, Mental Health, Oral Health, Out-of-School Time and Vision. Every dollar donated during this heart-felt call to action will go to support underprivileged children in Collier County with a holistic approach focusing on the wellbeing of the whole child and support the continued success of their collective impact projects.
The 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival kicked off Thursday morning with Vintage Cellar, a pre-festival tasting and luncheon. This year, the Festival honored Count Louis-Michel and Countess Constance Liger-Belair, owners of the legendary Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair wine estate in Burgundy, France, as 2025 Honored Vintners and Angelo Auriana, the innovative celebrity chef behind The Factory Kitchen and BRERA Ristorante, as 2025 Chef de Cuisine.
On Friday, Festival attendees got the opportunity to witness first-hand the life-changing impact of the NWWF during the annual Meet the Kids Day. The morning culminated in heartfelt presentations showcasing remarkable success stories that NCEF’s grants have made possible, followed by a catered luncheon highlighting fabulous wines presented by acclaimed vintners.
The night before Saturday’s Live Auction, 20 award-winning chefs, over 20 renowned vintners and 19 of the world’s elite featured sommeliers paired off to prepare exquisite, intimate dinners at the elegant, private homes of Festival Trustees and other exclusive settings throughout Naples.
Although today marked the final day of the 2025 NWWF, Festival enthusiasts still have the opportunity to bid for a number of remarkable auction lot items through the online auction at nwwfonlineauction.com or donate to Fund a Need until Tuesday, January 28 at 5 p.m. (EST).
Using the funds raised from this year’s auction, NCEF will award grants to local organizations and fund strategic initiatives supporting Collier County children in need on March 17, 2025.
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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