Judgement of Paris

At the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Festival

The participants of the legendary 1976 Judgment of Paris will come together for the first commemorative event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the most momentous occasion in U.S. wine history, when two American wineries, Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, bested the top châteaux and domaines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, catapulting California wines onto the world stage.

Taking place on Thursday, January 28 at 10 a.m., a day before the Naples Winter Wine Festival officially begins, guests to this very special tasting will honor the participants and celebrate one of the most historic wine events of the 20th century.

Steven Spurrier, a Brit and then Parisian wine merchant, who created and hosted the original event, will join George Taber, author of the namesake bestselling book, who at that time was the European journalist for Time Magazine, along with the proprietors of the two winning wineries, Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena, and Ted Baseler of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, for an extraordinary tasting of their wines.

“We are thrilled to bring the ‘wine event of the century’ to the Naples Winter Wine Festival,” said Sandi Moran, Co-Chair of the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Festival. “We always try to offer guests unique experiences found nowhere else in the world, and
this year’s event is no exception. Guests will have an incomparable opportunity to taste wines from the very wineries that put
California on the map.”

“There’s no better way to honor the wine industry than to hold a commemorative tasting at one of the most impactful charity wine auctions in the world,” added Steven Spurrier.

“It’s even more special that this tasting will raise money to help children in need.”

The exclusive event will set the stage for a weekend of incredible wines from California and around the world. The Festival’s headline events include private vintner dinners that pair some of the most awarded vintners in the world with top celebrity chefs, and an electrifying live auction that offers the chance to bid on items found nowhere else in the world. Guests can win one-of-a-kind travel experiences, limited edition cars, and unique wine lots not available to the general public.

The unforgettable weekend of wine and food all supports a great cause. Over its 15 year history, the Festival has raised more than $135 million dollars to support its founding organization, the Naples Children & Education Foundation, whose annual grants have provided more than 200,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel.

Tickets to this limited-seating event are $1,500 per person and will go on sale this fall. For more information, please call 239.514.2239.

Ticket packages to this year’s Naples Winter Wine Festival, limited to 580 guests, start at $10,000 per couple. A $25,000 package is also available that includes reserved seating for a party of four at a vintner dinner and under the tent. For more information about the Naples Winter Wine Festival, please visit http://www.napleswinefestival.com or call 888.837.4919.

ABOUT THE NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL

The Naples Winter Wine Festival is one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, bringing together renowned vintners and chefs with wine enthusiasts and philanthropists for a three-day Festival that raises millions of dollars for underprivileged and at-risk children. Every dollar raised under the tent funds the Festival’s founding organization, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), whose annual grants and strategic initiatives have provided more than 200,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel. For more information, please visit Napleswinefestival.com.