2023 Naples Winter Wine Festival Live Auction Sets New Record Of 26 Million

The 2023 Naples Winter Wine Festival does it again yet setting another new record high of nearly 26 million in support for at risk and underprivileged children in Collier County.

February 5th 2023 was the 23rd annual Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) “In Perfect Harmony” where they culminated this weekend raising a record high of nearly $26 million in ONE DAY to support at-risk and underprivileged children. This brings the total amount raised by the NWWF to approximately $269 million since its inception in 2001.

Highlights include two “Million Dollar” experiences for 40 lucky couples each at Sails Naples newest members club, Butcher Private and The Club Room at Campiello; a once-in-a-lifetime Paris journey with Château Mouton Rothschild; and a 2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB paired with a VIP trip to the United Kingdom.

Festival attendees came together at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón to bid on 50 unique, one-of-a kind wine, travel and culinary auction lots.

• “Antinori: Legacy of Greatness” sold twice for $550,000 and $500,000 ($1.05 million total): Two couples will embark on a seven-night intimate exploration of the renowned Antinori wine estates. They will begin with two nights in Florence in the Apartment Suite at Palazzo Antinori, a private tour of the Uffizi Gallery and dining at the city’s oldest and finest restaurants. In Chianti Classico, they will stay two nights at Tenuta Tignanello and explore Tignanello and Badia a Passignano and visit the Michelin-starred Osteria di Passignano. Guests will travel by helicopter to Guado al Tasso for two nights in the guest house and tour the vineyards. A final helicopter ride will take them to Castello della Sala for one night at Antinori’s famed Chardonnay estate. This lot also includes 2 Jeroboams and 3 Magnums of top Antinori wines.Photo Credit: Cone Communications
• “One Dream Machine, One Extraordinary Journey” for $1 million: The winning bidder will take home a brand new 2023 Bentley Bentayga Extended Wheelbase Azure with a Snow Quartz exterior and Mulliner white hide with Amethyst accent hide. The vehicle was complimented with an extraordinary journey full of private tours of top sights, hotel stays and fine dining through the United Kingdom with Bentley and The Macallan.
• “The Glories of Piedmont and Lombardy” for $500,000 (doubled for $1 million): Two couples will experience the magic of Northern Italy in three different locales, guided by Shari and Garen Staglin of Staglin Family Vineyards for seven nights. The journey includes hotel accommodations, dinners and VIP experiences in Lake Como, Barolo and Milan. Each couple also will receive a vertical of Staglin Family Vineyard Stagliano Estate Sangiovese from the 2017, 2018 and 2019 vintages in etched Magnum bottles.
• “Million Dollar Meal…All for the Kids!” for $1 million: 40 couples each contributed $25,000 for a once-in-a-lifetime, dinner experience at the exclusive Butcher Private in Naples, Florida in the Fall of 2023. The evening will begin with a cocktail and wine reception with passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by an elegant, multi-course meal paired with the finest wines from around the world.
• “Million Dollar Night of Laughter” for $1 million: 40 couples also each contributed $25,000 to enjoy a rare, intimate evening of comedy featuring best-selling author, actor and comedian Sebastian Maniscsalco at The Club Room at Campiello in Naples, Florida in the Fall of 2023. The evening’s refreshments will include passed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and wines.

• “Escape to a Caribbean Masterpiece with Cuvée” for $650,000: Four couples will fly Roundtrip, Private Air on a Challenger 300 via Flexjet from Naples, Florida to St. Barths for five nights at Vue de Rêves, Cuvée’s ultra-luxury villa. Accommodations include five Master Suites on four different levels, a walk-in wine cave, sprawling infinity pool and a panoramic view of Baie de St. Jean. Dinner will be prepared by Cuvée’s private chef Christophe Moreau, served with French Champagnes and Grand Cru wines. Guests will spend a day aboard a 50-foot catamaran for sailing, snorkeling and exploring at Nikki Beach, cavorting on seabobs and feasting on Mediterranean cuisine and Rosé.
• “A Timeless Toast to Portugal’s Sweet Success” for $575,000: Two couples will fly Roundtrip, Business Class Airfare to explore the famous high points of Portugal with world renowned Ports followed by a tranquil island escape during this remarkable six-night stay. Guests will spend one night in Porto where they will be received in the Symington Family Estates’ private dining room and have a tour and tasting in the cellars. In Douro, they will spend one night at each of the family’s private houses at both Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos and Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim and tour the vineyards with a winemaker. The final three nights will be spent luxuriating on Madeira in Junior Suites at Belmond’s Reid’s Palace, exploring the island and sampling their famous sweet wines. The winners also will receive a Bicentenary Collection Cabinet filled with a collection of Graham’s vintage Port and vintage dated tawny.
• “Château Mouton Rothschild: Where the Elegance of Wine and Art Meet” for $550,000: Two couples will go on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to France with insider access in Paris and an exclusive VIP experience with Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux from November 28, 2023 to December 2, 2023. The trip begins with two nights’ accommodations at the Five-star Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle hotel in Versailles with a private tour of the Château de Versailles and a private tour of the Musée d’Orsay, both with a curator. Then guests will enjoy two nights at a Five-star hotel in the Médoc region. While in Bordeaux, they will be amongst the first to discover the best kept secret of the Wine and Art world by partaking in the private and intimate unveiling of the 2021 Château Mouton Rothschild label in the presence of the artwork’s internationally renowned artist and the Rothschild Family, followed by a cocktail reception and dinner at the First Growth estate. The VIP experience also includes a private tour of the Paintings for the Labels exhibition at Château Mouton Rothschild and a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Grand Théâtre, home of the Bordeaux National Opera and one of the world’s most famous 18th-century theaters.

A heart-felt call to action, on-the-spot donations supporting this year’s Fund a Need, “Healthy Mind, Body & Soul,” brought in contributions of nearly $5.4 million to support NCEF’s healthcare initiatives for children, including access to healthcare, mental health, oral health and vision needs.

The 2023 Naples Winter Wine Festival kicked off Thursday evening with an exclusive Grand Crew Party hosted at Campiello restaurant in historic Old Naples. This year, the Festival honored Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Chairman and CEO of Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA, as its 2023 Honored Vintner and nationally acclaimed, James Beard-nominated, Bravo’s “Top Chef” contestant and newly Michelin-starred Chef John Tesar as 2023 Chef de Cuisine.

On Friday, Festival attendees got the opportunity to witness first-hand the life-changing impact of the NWWF during the annual “Meet the Kids Day.” The morning culminated in heartfelt presentations showcasing remarkable success stories that NCEF’s grants have made possible, followed by a delicious luncheon highlighting fabulous wines presented by acclaimed vintners.

The night before Saturday’s Live Auction, 18 celebrity chefs, 21 world-renowned vintners and 18 of the world’s elite featured sommeliers paired off to prepare exquisite, intimate dinners at the stunning private homes of Festival Trustees and other exclusive locations across Naples.

Using the funds raised from this year’s auction, NCEF will award grants to local organizations and fund strategic initiatives supporting Collier County children in need on March 20, 2023.