MIA: Great Expectations for the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Festival

On the week of January 29th, proprietors from over 40 wineries from 13 global wine-producing regions will leave their daily routines to join what has been ranked the top charity wine auction in the nation.

The Naples Winter Wine Festival is a three-day gala that benefits the NCEF, Naples Children & Education Foundation, and invites guests to enjoy exquisite food and wine in the company of other philanthropically minded individuals with the goal of supporting children in need.

With seven strategic initiatives, NCEF strives to improve the lives of children through:

• Early learning
• Healthcare
• Hunger
• Mental Health
• Oral Health
• Out of school
• Vision

Since its inception in 2001, the Festival has raised over $135 million and has benefitted the lives of over 200,000 children. The money for NCEF is raised through the bidding on some of the most opulent items. A list of Haute auction items in 2015 can be found here.

Although the list is still to be finalized, some of the auction items to look forward to at the 2016 Naples Winter Wine Festival include:

• A custom piece of jewelry from Fratelli Piccini
• A private dining experience with Opus One CEO David Pearson in the private apartments of Louis XV, followed by an after-hours visit to the Louvre and 24 bottles of his exceptional wine
• A private jet journey through Southeast Asia and Japan with a helicopter tour over Angkor Wat, access to private beaches and accommodations at several Amanresorts
• A trip to Rome and tens of thousands of dollars of jewelry credit (courtesy of Bulgari)

The Naples Winter Wine Festival will be taking place at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples and promises to “exceed expectations,” as they have already done in previous years.

This luxury event is limited to 580 guests, with tickets per couple starting at $10,000. There will also be a $25,000 package that includes reserved seating for a party of four at a vintner dinner. These guests will enjoy some of the most sophisticated wines and extravagant dishes from all over the world, prepared especially for them by world-renowned vintners and celebrity chefs.

The chef lineup includes over 20 celebrity chefs with a collective nine James Beard Awards and multiple James Beard Award nominations, several Michelin stars, numerous four star reviews and scores of additional accolades, including Best New Chef, Rising Star and Best New Restaurant, among many others.

Returning to co-chair the festival are Tom and Sandi Moran, alongside Jim and Laura Dixon. These individuals became Trustees of NCEF in 2010 because of their love for the auction and what it has accomplished for the betterment of children in the community.

Tickets for this yearly event go on sale mid-late October.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets to the festival; please contact Barrett Farmer at 239-514-2239 or barrett@napleswinefestival.com