Naples Winter Wine Festival Unveils Sommeliers for its 27th Annual Event

Naples Winter Wine Festival Unveils Esteemed Lineup of Featured Sommeliers for its 27th Annual Event

The Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) today unveiled its lineup of Featured Sommeliers headlining the 2027 Festival on January 29-31, 2027. With the theme “Hope Sings: A Brighter Tomorrow Takes the Stage,” the Festival once again returns to The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón, featuring some of the world’s most exclusive wines, exceptional cuisine, and extraordinary, one-of-a-kind auction lots benefiting children in Collier County.

Rob H. Smits

The NWWF, the annual fundraiser of the Naples Children Foundation (NCF), marks its 27th anniversary, impacting close to 90 of the most effective nonprofit organizations in the local community. Since the Festival’s inception, 420,000 of the most vulnerable children in Collier County have been impacted with the essential services and resources they need to excel.

Michael Meagher

Throughout Festival week, these Featured Sommeliers will play an integral role in elevating the wine experience for guests, bringing remarkable expertise and insight to each pour. Drawing on their deep knowledge of vintages, terroir, producers and winemaking styles, they will guide patrons through the stories and distinctive characteristics behind many of the rare and highly sought-after wines being served during Thursday’s special pre-Festival Vintage Cellar tasting and luncheon, Friday evening’s exclusive Vintner Dinners in intimate settings across Naples, and Saturday’s signature Live Auction, helping create an engaging and educational experience that deepens guests’ appreciation of the wines at the heart of the Naples Winter Wine Festival.

Marie Cheslik

“Our Featured Sommeliers play an integral role in what makes the Naples Winter Wine Festival such an extraordinary wine experience,” said NCF Honorary Trustee and 2027 Sommelier Liaison Bruce Nichols. “Each year, we bring together a distinguished group of wine professionals whose expertise, passion and ability to tell the story behind each bottle enrich every aspect of the Festival. From accomplished Master Sommeliers to some of the industry’s most exciting emerging talent, this year’s remarkable group will offer our guests a deeper connection to the celebrated wines, vintners and regions represented throughout the weekend.”

Here is the complete list of the 2027 NWWF Featured Sommeliers, in alphabetical order:

• Gillian Ballance, MS of Treasury Wine Estates and Decant Bottle Shop in Yountville, California
• Fernando Beteta, MS of PopSomm in Chicago, Illinois

• Mark Bright of Saison Hospitality Group in San Francisco, California
• Jacob Brown of Realm Cellars in San Francisco, California

• Marie Cheslik of Slik Wines in Chicago, Illinois
• Jonathan Eichholz, MS of Aftergold in New York, New York

• John Eisele of the Four Seasons Napa Valley in Calistoga, California
• Lindsey Fern of Nemacolin in Uniontown, Pennsylvania (FEATURED PHOTO)

• Sarah Foote of Castle Hot Springs in Morristown, Arizona
• Logan Griffin of Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee

• Jon McCarthy of The Matheson in Healdsburg, California
• Michael Meagher, MS of Sommelier On-Demand Hospitality Services, LLC in Groton, Massachusetts

• George Miliotes, MS of Wine Bar George in Orlando, Florida
• Robin O’Connor of Brazen Head Brooklyn in New York, New York

• David Reuss, MS of Jackson Family Wines in Denver, Colorado
• Rob Smits of Caruso’s at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California

George Miliotes

Ticket packages for the 27th annual NWWF start at $17,500 per couple for a Double Magnum package and $40,000 for two couples to experience a Jeroboam package. Tickets are sold for the entire Festival only. For more information, please visit: napleswinefestival.com/ticket-inquiry.

About Naples Children Foundation
The Naples Children Foundation (NCF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, creates transformational change and improves educational, emotional and health outcomes for vulnerable children in Collier County. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCF has impacted nearly 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 420,000 children with the services and resources they need to succeed. Through bold investments, collaborative partnerships, and data-driven solutions, NCF supports programs that ensure every child can thrive. NCF’s unique approach, which 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 Foundation, please contact Madison Blasco, Community Engagement & Marketing Manager, at madison@napleschildrenfoundation.org or 239-325-2975.

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 across 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 more than $366 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Collier County.

For more information on the Naples Winter Wine Festival, please contact Lisa Juliano, SVP, NWWF & Event Production, at lisa@napleswinefestival.com or 239-325-2972.