NAPLES WINTER WINE FESTIVAL UNVEILS SCORES OF LAVISH AUCTION LOTS FOR 2019

THIS YEAR’S AUCTION LOT ITEMS INCLUDE ACCESS TO THE 2020 OLYMPICS, RED CARPET ACCESS TO THE TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL, A 12-DAY SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI AND MORE

Imagine attending the opening ceremonies of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, gaining access to some of the most exclusive red carpet events, spending time at luxurious properties in the most sought-after places or having the chance to sip and enjoy rare wines from vineyards around the world.

These experiences and more will be up for auction at the 19th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival, scheduled for January 25-27, 2019 at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples. Bidders under the tent at the Naples Winter Wine Festival will have the opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime trips including truffle hunting in Italy, a South African safari in Kruger National Park and an exploration of the world’s most historic sites by private jet.

Among these jaw-dropping auction lots are global and stateside trips to prominent wine-making regions including Opus One in Napa Valley and Ceretto in the Piedmont region of Italy.

“Every year, our generous partners and longtime supporters provide our auction lot bidders with never before seen items and experiences,” said Tom Koehn, 2019 NWWF Co-Chair. “We always look to provide our bidders with the best of the best across the board and around the world – we are blown away by the lots secured for this year’s live auction.”

Other coveted auction items include:

• 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan -Watch the world’s best athletes compete on sport’s biggest stage at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. The winning couples will spend six nights in Executive Rooms at the Hilton Tokyo and receive tickets to the opening ceremony and some of the most popular events, including gymnastics, swimming, diving and more. Throughout their seven-day trip, couples will also have the chance to explore Tokyo’s notable temples, landmarks, neighborhoods and museums, such as the Tokyo Edo Museum, Mori Art Museum, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Silver Pavilion, Fish Market and more. Ground transportation will be included throughout the trip.
• Tribeca Film Festival with BVLGARI – Walk the red carpet with some of today’s most recognizable stars as a guest of world-renowned jeweler Bulgari at one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. Two couples will receive Roundtrip Business Class Airfare to New York City and spend four nights at one of the city’s five-star luxury hotels with all-access passes to three days of the 2019 or 2020 Tribeca Film Festival. As guests of Bulgari, both couples will walk the red carpet for the exclusive premieres of Bulgari’s two short films and one additional Tribeca Film Festival gala premiere. Couples will be transported to and from the premieres by luxury car service.
• Whirlwind Italian Tour with Ceretto – Two couples will receive a two-night visit to the Bricco Rocche guest house at Ceretto in Castiglione Falletto in September 2019, where they will enjoy a vertical tasting of single vineyard Barolo DOCG wines, partake in a barrel tasting of the latest vintage of Barolo, experience a wine trek through the Monsordo Bernardina Estate, and dine in the intimate setting of The Cube, the Artist’s House, and three-star Michelin restaurant Piazza Duomo with wine pairings. The two couples will then spend eight days in Piedmont, Lake Como and Milan where they will spend three nights in Suites at the Relais San Maurizio Hotel, three nights in Lake View Rooms at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and two nights in Deluxe Rooms at Milan’s Mandarin Oriental. The couples will enjoy a hot air balloon over Turin, truffle hunting, full day Barolo wine tour, excursion in a private Venetian water coach, three-hour hike around Tremezzo, guided tour of Milan’s exclusive Quadrilatero d’Oro and a private backstage tour of the La Scala Opera House. Ceretto will also gift the winners with one 3-Liter of 2006 Ceretto Barolo Bricco Rocche DOCG, six bottles of Ceretto Barolo Prapo DOCG (from the 2006, 2008 and 2013 vintages), four bottles of Ceretto Barolo Brunate DOCG (from the 2011 and 2012 vintages), three bottles of 2008 Ceretto Barbaresco Bernardot DOCG and three bottles of 2008 Ceretto Barbaresco Bricco Asili DOCG. Ground transportation throughout the stay will be included.
• Harvest Immersion with Opus One– The iconic Napa winery is offering a Three-Magnum Vertical of Opus One(2011, 2012 and 2013) and a three-day“Harvest Immersion” experience at OpusOne in Napa Valley in September 2019.The winning couple and three guest couples will stay at Ink House in Rutherford for three nights enjoying a series of unique dining experiences. This includes dinner at the new Opus One Veranda prepared by a globally renowned chef, lunch at the “Tree House” at Auberge du Soleil, dinner in The French Laundry’s private dining room and dinner in the Opus One Salon prepared by chef Gabriel Kreuther. Guests will also join winemaker Michael Silacci for tastings and participate in the harvesting of grapes. Ground transportation throughout the stay will be included. Privately Guided “Special Access”
• South African Safari -Discover some of the world’s most remote lands and wildlife with a 12-night safari experience in Tanzania and South Africa. One couple will begin their adventure in Kilimanjaro to spend a night at the Legendary Lodge in Arusha before hopping on a charter flight to Katavi National Park for three nights in a luxury en-suite tent at Chada Katavi in Western Tanzania. They will spot giraffe, hartebeest, zebra, impala and elephants before jetting off to the Mahale Mountains for four nights in a luxury en-suite tent at Greystroke Mahale on Lake Tanganyika where they have the option of partaking in a Ntakata Forest “special access” experience to view animals such as chimpanzees, leopards, zebras and lions. The couple will then head back to Kilimanjaro for the second part of their journey to South Africa to join conservation filmmaker, photographer and expert guide James Suter on a four-day privately-guided safari through Kruger National Park. They will spend two nights at Singita Lebombo Lodge in the Lebombo Private concession and two nights at Singita Sweni Lodge in Kruger National Park where they can participate in tracking, mountain biking, archery, massages and a visit to the Singita School of Cooking. Ground transfers and internal charter flights will be included throughout the 12-night trip.
• Europe & Ancient Cities Private Jet Tour – Witness the world’s most historic landmarks on a 14-day world tour via 15 passenger private jet. One couple will begin their group adventure in Luxembourg where they will enjoy three-nights’ accommodations at Le Royal Hotel, then head to Belgrade, Serbia for three nights at the Square Nine Hotel followed by a day trip to Varna, Bulgaria. The couple will then fly to Yerevan, Armenia where they will spend three nights at the Armenia Marriott Hotel Yerevan before heading to the beautiful city of Petra, Jordan for two nights at the Movenpick Resort Petra. The trip will conclude with three nights in Vienna, Austria where the couple will rest at Hotel Imperial before heading home. All private jet flights, meals, luxury transportation, local guides and sightseeing fees will be included in this package.
• Driving in Style – Car enthusiasts will have a chance to take home one of the first Bentley Continental GT Convertibles in North America. The winners will receive Roundtrip Business Class Airfare to London in February 2019 and spend four nights at The Connaught Hotel, where they will visit the Bentley factory in Crewe to meet with the design teams to personally spec out their vehicle.

This year, Naples Children & Education (NCEF) has announced that they will target Children’s Mental Health for its annual Fund a Need initiative at the 2019 Naples Winter Wine Festival. Every year, the live auction includes an auction lot item dedicated to welcoming donations for the selected cause.

As the need for expanded access to proper mental and behavioral health care becomes more urgent, NCEF is taking the proper steps to provide better healthcare for at-risk children in the Collier County community and has selected this timely and important cause for the 2019 Fund a Need initiative.

If you’d like to support our cause, please visit https://www.nwwfonlineauction.com/Browse/C201247/FundANeed.

“The need to provide proper mental and behavioral health care is more prevalent than ever in our community,” said 2019 NWWF Co-Chair Jeannelle Brady. “Our community relies on the Naples Winter Wine Festival to raise as much money as possible to help as many children as possible. We’re thankful for the incredible amount of support we’ve received from our sponsors, guests and trustees and we’re looking forward to raising awareness and funds for this important cause.”

Ticket packages to the Naples Winter Wine Festival are limited to 600 guests and start at $12,500 per couple. A $30,000 package, which includes reserved seating for a party of four at a Vintner Dinner and under the Festival tent, is also available. To inquire about tickets to the Festival, please contact Barrett Farmer at barrett@napleswinefestival.com or 239-514-2239. For all press-related inquiries, please contact naples@sunshinesachs.com or 212-691-2800.

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 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 $176 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds 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 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.