NAPLES YACHT CLUB RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS WINE AWARD

NAPLES YACHT CLUB RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS WINE AWARD OF DISTINCTION FROM CLUB MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

Naples Yacht Club, the first and oldest private club in Naples, is proud to announce that it has earned the prestigious Wine Award of Distinction from the Club Management Association of America (CMAA). The annual award recognizes excellence, innovation and commitment within private club wine programs across the United States.

The Wine Program Awards honor clubs with an Award of Distinction when a club scores a 90 or above, and an Award of Merit when a club scores between 80 and 89. Naples Yacht Club joins an exclusive group as the only yacht club in the nation to receive the highest-level distinction and the only club in the state of Florida recognized at that level.

“On behalf of our entire team, we are truly honored to receive this award,” said Hallie Girardeau, General Manager for Naples Yacht Club. “Our wine program has continued to grow in both depth and distinction over the past several seasons, earning recognition not only from our members and guests, but also from the broader private club industry.”

Located at the southern end of Seventh Street in the Aqualane Shores section of Naples, the Naples Yacht Club was founded in 1947 by three friends – Stephen Briggs, Benny Morris and John Glen Sample. In 2019, the Club completed a $10-million-dollar renovation and expansion that completely updated the clubhouse that was built in 1960.

For several years in a row, the Club has earned top-tier recognition including the coveted Platinum Clubs® of America recognition. In the 2025-2026 ranking of the nation’s top private clubs by The Club Leaders Forum Advisory Board, Naples Yacht Club is ranked as the number five yacht club in the United States and the top yacht club in Florida.

In electing Naples Yacht Club as a Platinum Club® of America, a distinguished panel of industry experts, historians and connoisseurs considered its universal recognition, respected membership, excellence in amenities and facilities, exceptional service standards, and how it has Adapted to changing times, management and operations, and the overall experience. In total, there are only 300 such recognized private clubs, including 200 golf and country clubs, 50 city clubs, 30 yacht clubs and 20 athletic clubs.

Naples Yacht Club also recently qualified to maintain its Distinguished Club status. To be a Distinguished Club is to be one of only a few, highly select private clubs that are recognized as providing a member experience at a level attained by only the finest clubs in the world as determined in a process conducted by BoardRoom magazine.