Naples Winter Wine Festival announces Opus One Winery will headline this year

The Naples Winter Wine Festival is pleased to announce that the renowned Opus One Winery will headline the 2018 Vintage Cellar event set to take place on January 25th, 2018 at Bleu Provence in Old Naples. The masterclass tasting will be led by David Pearson, CEO of Opus One, and will feature a special guest moderator, Antonio Galloni of Vinous.

Guests of the luncheon will be able to participate in a vertical tasting of the Estate’s 1980, 1994, 1996, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 vintages, ten celebrated vintages spanning the winery’s four remarkable decades. This exclusive tasting will not only give wine enthusiasts the chance to sample some of Opus One’s oldest and rarest vintage years, but also allow them to experience the continuity and evolution of the outstanding Bordeaux-style blend that has changed vineyard sites, winemakers, and winery facilities over its first 40 years. The luncheon will contain the following wines throughout the meal:

• FIRST COURSE: Chateau Mouton Rothschild Aile
D’Argent 2013 – White Bordeaux (Sauvignon Blanc,
Semillon, Muscatel Blend)
• SECOND COURSE: Opus One 2005
• THIRD COURSE: Opus One 2009
• FOURTH COURSE: Chateau Coutet 1995 – Sauternes

“We’re honored to have Opus One join the Naples Winter Wine Festival with this event,” said David Pearson, CEO of Opus One. “Opus is the result of two legends coming together in 1978 – California wine making patriarch Robert Mondavi and
Baron Philippe de Rothschild, proprietor of Château Mouton Rothschild, and we’re excited to bring some of our most prized wines to Naples.”

“We’re thrilled that Opus One Winery will be providing such a unique opportunity to taste some incredibly rare wines and learn from the team behind one of the most iconic wineries in the U.S.,” said 2018 Festival Co-Chair, [Kathy Mezzalingua]. “Paired with Antonio Galloni’s respected expertise, this year’s Vintage Cellar Luncheon is the perfect way to kick off the 2018 Naples Winter Wine Festival!”

“I am thrilled to be back at the Naples Winter Wine Festival to host the Vintage Cellar tasting.” said Antonio Galloni. “This
year’s event features the wines of Opus One, including a number of reference point vintages going back to the 1980’s, in what is sure to be an unforgettable look back at the history of one of Napa Valley’s most iconic wines.”

The 2018 Vintage Cellar Luncheon, a separate, pre-festival event, will be held at Bleu Provence in Old Naples on January 25th at 9:30 a.m. Seating is limited and tickets are still currently available, starting at $2,500 per person. For more information, please call 239.514.2239.

Since its inception in 2001, the Naples Winter Wine Festival has raised over $161 million, which includes a total of $15.1 million raised during the 2017 Festival, and has awarded grants to more than 40 of the most effective nonprofit organizations and impacts the lives of over 200,000 children. Every dollar raised under the tent, funds the Naples Children & Education Foundation’s (NCEF) annual grants and strategic initiatives. Ticket packages to the 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. To inquire about tickets to the Festival, please contact Barrett Farmer at barrett@napleswinefestival.com or 239.514.2239.

ABOUT NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL
The Naples Winter Wine Festival, one of the world’s most prestigious charity wine auctions, offers a weekend of unforgettable memories. Guests enjoy world-class wines and food during intimate dinners in private homes, 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 $161 million, making a profound difference in the lives of thousands of children.

ABOUT NAPLES CHILDREN & EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Naples Children & Education Foundation, 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 over 40 of the most effective nonprofits in the community, providing more than 200,000 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.