NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY

  NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH NEVER BEFORE SEEN, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME AUCTION LOTS

Imagine receiving private tennis lessons from a tennis champion during Wimbledon, being one of the first to own a 2020 Bentley Flying Spur sedan, sipping on some of the finest and rarest wines from the prestigious Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), or taking a private tour through Cambodia and Vietnam where you’ll visit the world’s most coveted historical landmarks. In honor of the Naples Winter Wine Festival’s (NWWF) 20th Anniversary, guests will have a chance to bid on and win these highly coveted wines and experiences at the 2020 Festival, scheduled for January 24-26, 2020 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, Florida.

This year’s auction lots will offer bidders an opportunity to commemorate and be a part of the Festival’s dazzling 20-year legacy. Every dollar raised under the tent for the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) will be allocated through grants to strategic initiatives and programs that support the Collier County community.

“Each year, our generous partners, long-time supporters, Co-Chairs and Trustees are able to provide bidders at the NWWF with truly unique culinary, wine, travel and red-carpet experiences,” said Peter Welsh, 2020 NWWF Co-Chair. “It is because of the Festival’s ability to continue to bring these curated experiences year after year that we have been able to forge a 20-year legacy as the world’s most successful wine festival.”

This year’s coveted auction items include:                                                                                                                                                                  Own One of the First Bentley Flying Spurs in the US and Take and an Exclusive Tour of Bentley Motors in Crewe – Discover what it’s like to ride in style with a new 2020 Bentley Flying Spur sedan and visit the world-famous production facility at Bentley Motors in Crewe, Cheshire to see one on the production line. One couple will receive a round-trip business-class ticket to London in February and spend three nights at the chic Connaught Hotel. Located in London’s stylish Mayfair village with a discreet English ambiance and contemporary five-star touches, the hotel is known for its winning combination of elegance and world-famous service. Ground transportation throughout the stay will be included.

1-Week, 158-Ft Private Yacht Cruise for Four Couples – Enjoy a one-week cruise in the Western Mediterranean Sea (for late Spring or Summer 2020) or the Caribbean (for early Spring or Winter 2020) with a luxurious experience. Four couples will travel on the 158-foot Feadship M/Y Gitana, featuring VIP amenities including a private chef to prepare gourmet meals, 10 crew members, 5 cabins (1 Master, 2 Double and 2 Twin) for accommodations, kayaks for water activities, as well as a plunge pool. The yacht will also feature Bodega 202 wines on-board. Airfare to be provided for the four winning couples from any major city in the U.S. to the closest port of embarkation of their choosing. All fuel charges, dockage fees and guest provisioning, including food and beverages, are included. Roundtrip, private airfare will also be included.

Time Traveling Tasting with Château Lafite Rothschild – Three lucky couples will journey through a time-traveling tasting experience with Château Lafite and an extravagant journey to Bordeaux. The winning couple and two guest couples will have VIP assistance at the Paris Airport and receive first-class train tickets from Paris to Bordeaux, and luxury hotel accommodations while in Bordeaux for two nights. The winning couples will receive nine 750ml (ranging from the 1905 vintage to 2010) and six 1.5-liter bottles (ranging from 1955 to 2002) from Château Lafite, signed by Baron Eric de Rothschild and Saskia de Rothschild. The trip will also include dinner at the private home of the Rothschild family at Château Lafite hosted by world-renowned vintner Saskia de Rothschild or CEO Jean-Guillaume Prats.

 Ferrari Trento Italian Art of Living Journey – This once-in-a-lifetime, eight-day experience with gourmet dining, a helicopter tour, tailor-made fashion and breathtaking landscapes will be for two couples. Guests will travel between Milan and the Dolomites, visiting the most significant and historic sites like The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, Fondazione Prada, the Dolomite Mountains and Lake Garda. Guests will also go home with two tailor-made suits by Zegna and two pairs of luxury women’s shoes designed by René Caovilla. They will also have sports and wellness activities in Lake Garda and Alta Badia with expert guides. In Trento, the couples have lunch at Locanda Margon, the restaurant of the Ferrari Trento Winery, a guided visit to the 16^th-century Villa Margon and a private tasting at Ferrari Trento Winery with the Chef de Cave and a member of the Lunelli family. Couples will go home with 20 bottles of some of Ferrari Trento’s most notable wines. Roundtrip, business-class airfare to and from Milan is included along with hotel accommodations, meals and ground transportation.

A TIMELESS Experience in Napa Valley and Bordeaux, France – Indulge in a timeless experience with three nights in Napa Valley for two couples and three nights in the cultural city of Bordeaux, France for one couple featuring the inaugural release of Silver Oak’s new venture, 2017 TIMELESS Cabernet Sauvignon. TIMELESS is an evolution of an almost 10 year collaboration with winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet of Château Pétrus and the name is a callback to a song, also titled “Timeless,” that David Duncan penned with country songwriter Monty Powell, artist Anna Wilson and Jeff Gargiulo. David dedicated “Timeless” to his father and Silver Oak Founder Ray Duncan, and the poetry also appears on the bottles. Accommodations at the Duncan family’s private Calistoga Ranch residence in Napa Valley are included along with a special dinner featuring a custom menu prepared by winery chef Dominic Orsini. The couples will attend an intimate concert in Oakville by Monty Powell and Anna Wilson, an exclusive tour of the TIMELESS estate vineyard and a private dinner at The French Laundry in Yountville. The winning couple will then jet set to the famous winegrowing region of Bordeaux, where they will meet Jean-Claude Berrouet, for a countryside lunch and a complete day of wine tasting and tours in Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux. In addition to a case of special Bordeaux wines, five-star accommodations at Hostellerie de Plaisance, VIP train tickets, roundtrip, Business-Class airfare, and private airport transfers in California and France are included.

2020 Wimbledon, Cotswolds and British Open – Watch some of the world’s best athletes at both the 2020 Wimbledon and British Open and stay at a 16th-century manor house in the heart of the Cotswolds. Two couples will receive Wimbledon Club Debenture tickets, with Center Court tickets for the Women’s Singles Finals, the Men’s Singles Finals and the Men’s and Women’s Doubles Finals. They will stay in Deluxe Junior Suites at The Connaught in London, enjoy a private 90-minute tennis lesson with a tennis champion and receive special access to the player and celebrity lounges. Guests will also go home with four pairs of shoes from Stan Smith, four racquets from a tennis icon and get a private, behind-the-scenes tour of Wimbledon by a Hall of Fame player. In between the two tournaments, the couples will receive en suite accommodations in an English manor with a heated pool, landscape views of the English countryside, and an in-house private chef preparing all meals. Guests will then receive VIP tickets to all four days of the 2020 British Open at Royal St. Georges and accommodations in Suites at Canterbury Cathedral. Roundtrip, private airfare will also be included.

Lakani World Tours – Take a peek into Europe’s hidden historic gems with this private jet adventure across six European cities. The trip will start in Helsinki, Finland where guests will tour the highlights of the capital city, followed by three nights in Baku, Azerbaijan at the Four Seasons Hotel where they can enjoy a sunset cruise and dinner at one of Baku’s oldest restaurants. Guests will then stay in their own private villa in Rhodes, Greece and visit the ancient castle and acropolis in Lindos, traveling by donkey if they choose. The next stop is Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina to tour its iconic Stari Most, its minaret and bazaar followed by three nights at the Grand Hotel Majestic in Bologna, Italy, where they’ll tour the city and indulge in its extraordinary culture and history. The adventure will conclude with three nights in Biarritz, France at the Hotel du Palais where ocean-view suites await. Roundtrip, business class airfare from the U.S. to Helsinki and from Biarritz is included.

Family Escape to Trout Lake – Relax and unplug with a five-day family retreat on Trout Lake in Northern Wisconsin at the home of 2020 NWWF Co-Chairs Nancy & Joe Masterson. The winners of this lot, along with 12 to 14 of their family or guests, will experience the great outdoors in a private retreat with amenities including; bike trails, access to Northern Wisconsin’s premiere golf club, sunset cruises and water activities. A private chef will be available to prepare meals on a daily basis. Roundtrip, private airfare from either Chicago or Minneapolis will be included.

11-Night Tour of Cambodia and Vietnam – Two couples will first travel to Hanoi for three days before taking off in an overnight cruise to the UNESCO World Heritage site, Ha Long Bay. Guests will stay at the Four Seasons luxury resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An for three nights in one-bedroom villas and spend days exploring the village, learning to prepare local dishes and visiting ancient temples. Following Hoi An, guests will fly to Ho Chi Minh City and stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon and explore the city’s most vibrant spots and neighborhoods. Lastly, visit Siem Reap, Cambodia and stay at the Phum Baitang Resort for three nights in Pool Villas and see everything from a 12th-century temple to the studio of a couture Khmer fashion designer.

 Since inception, the NWWF and NCEF have been dedicated to bettering the lives of children in Collier County by raising funds during the Festival’s heart pounding Live Auction. Each year, NCEF looks to identify the community’s most pressing needs. Whether it’s child advocacy, education or children’s healthcare, NCEF’s mission is to support effective, disciplined charitable programs that significantly improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.

“The Festival is such a staple in our community not only because of its world-class wine and culinary offerings, but also due to the incredible impact the Festival and Foundation have had on the community,” said 2020 NWWF Co-Chair Shirley Welsh. “NWWF’s success is a result of the outstanding support we’ve received over the last 20 years and we’re excited to use the 2020 Festival as the beginning of another 20 years of community change and progress.”

Ticket packages to NWWF start at $12,500 per couple. A $30,000 package that includes reserved seating for a party of four at a Vintner Dinner and under the auction tent is also available. To inquire about tickets to the Festival, please contact Barrett Farmer at barrett@napleswinefestival.com or 239-514-2239.

ABOUT THE 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 45 of the most effective nonprofits in the community, providing 275,000 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.

ABOUT THE 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 food and wine 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 $191 million, making a profound difference in the lives of thousands of children.