Exclusive Vintage Cellar Event to Kick Off 25th Annual Naples Winter Wine Festival

Exclusive Vintage Cellar Event Featuring Legendary Burgundy Winery Domaine

du Comte Liger-Belair to Kick Off 25^th Annual Naples Winter Wine Festival

Pre-Festival wine tasting and luncheon hosted by the owner of Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair will treat guests to an intimate tasting of highly sought after vintages from the wine estate

The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF), announced that the legendary Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair wine estate will headline an exclusive Vintage Cellar event on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at Bleu Provence in Old Naples to kick off the 25th annual Festival.

The intimate, pre-festival wine tasting and luncheon will be expertly led by the Burgundy-based owner and vintner of Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair, Count Louis-Michel Liger-Belair.

Guests will be able to participate in a vertical tasting (2017, 2018 and 2019) of each the Estate’s Vosne-Romanée “Clos du Château” – Monopole, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair; Vosne-Romanée “La Colombière”, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair; and Nuits-Saint-Georges, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. Wines will be poured by featured sommeliers who are participating throughout the weekend, enhancing appreciation for the unique and rare wines that will be tasted.

Louis-Michel Liger-Belair et sa femme Constance (copyright Justin Creedy Smith) Chateau de Vosne-Romanée

“We are truly honored to participate in this exclusive tasting event to kick off the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival,” said Louis-Michel Liger-Belair. “Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair has a long-documented history of wine production with many generations of family operation, and we look forward to sharing some of our most famous wines to support needy children in the community.”

The Vintage Cellar is one of the most anticipated events for collectors and connoisseurs attending the NWWF. This incredible event will not only give guests the chance to sample some of Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair’s greatest and most sought-after vintages, but also provide an intimate glimpse into some of the most revered family-owned vineyards dating back over 200 years.

A four-course luncheon will immediately follow the tasting, offering the following:

• First Course: Crispy Sweet Bread on a bed of Celery Roots Mousseline, Chive Oil and Popcorn paired with the 2018 Vosne-Romanée “Clos du Château” – Monopole, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

• Second Course: Beef Tenderloin, Mushroom Polenta, Pea Mousseline and Porcini “Jus” paired with the 2018 Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru “Clos des Grandes Vignes” – Monopole, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

• Third Course: Seven Hours Lamb Confit with Butternut Gratin and Roasted Chestnut paired with the 2017 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru “Les Suchots”, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

• Fourth Course: 14-month-old Comte and Époisses Cheese paired with the 2017 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru “Aux Reignots”, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair

“The 2025 Vintage Cellar will pair impeccable cuisine with some truly incredible wines and provide the unique opportunity to hear directly from a family member behind this legendary winemaker,” said Scott Lutgert, NCEF Emeritus Trustee and 2025 Vintner Committee Member. “With wines poured by our exceptionally talented sommeliers, this year’s Vintage Cellar wine tasting and luncheon will serve as the consummate event to kick off our 25th annual NWWF celebration.”

The 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival will take place on January 24-26, 2025 at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón. With three days of activities, the Festival will once again showcase exceptional fine wines, amazing cuisine and unique, one-of-a-kind auction lots benefiting its founding organization, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), in support of its mission of making a profound and sustaining difference in the lives of underserved children in Collier County.

The weekend will pay homage to the past while looking forward to the future. Guests will enjoy world-class food and wine during intimate dinners in private homes and other landmark settings throughout Naples curated by award-winning chefs and world-renowned vintners. Patrons also will be invited to bid on incredible travel and wine experiences during an electrifying live auction.

Ticket packages for the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival start at $17,500 per couple for a Double Magnum package and $40,000 for two couples to experience a Jeroboam Package.

The Vintage Cellar wine tasting and luncheon is a separate, pre-festival event and seating is limited to 40 guests. It is anticipated tickets will be available in late October for $5,000 per person.

For additional information, please visit: napleswinefestival.com/about-the-festival.

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 almost $302 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.