The Naples Winter Wine Festival is a multi-day charity wine festival featuring celebrity chef-hosted dinners and an auction. The event has been held yearly in Naples, Florida since 2001. Since its inception, the Naples Children & Education Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival has raised over $161 million for underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County.
2001 - The festival's first year saw $2.7 million ($3.65 million in 2016 dollars) raised for charity. Jeff Garguilo, of Garguilo Vineyards, was the chairman.
2002 - $3.4 million ($4.53 million in 2016 dollars) raised for charity, with $2.5 million coming from the auction. Brian Cobb was the chairman.
2003 - $3.96 million ($5.16 million in 2016 dollars) was raised. Tom Wajnert was the chairman.
2004 - The Festival's auction set a world record for a charity wine auction; $6.67 million ($8.46 million in 2016 dollars). Shirlene Elkins was the chairwoman, and Robert Mondavi was the honored vintner.
2005 - The auction set another world record, with $11.1 million ($13.6 million in 2016 dollars).
2006 - The auction raised $12.19 million ($14.5 million in 2016 dollars). Grace Evanstad, of Domaine Serene, was the festival's chairwoman.
2007 - Another record year -- $16.5 million ($19.1 million in 2016 dollars). A single lot went for a record $2 million ($2.31 million in 2016 dollars); a 2008 Rolls Royce drophead coupe.
2008 - The auction raised $14 million ($15.6 million in 2016 dollars).
2009 - Due to the economy, the auction only raised $5.06 million ($5.65 million in 2016 dollars), the lowest auction total since 2003.
2010 - The festival bounced back with $8.06 million in auction lots ($8.85 million in 2016 dollars). Festival Chairs were Kathleen & Francis Rooney.
2011 - The auction brought in $11.9 million, but the chairs added another $100,000 to make it an even $12 million ($13.2 million in 2016 dollars)
2012 - The auction raised $12.2 million; HRH Prince Robert of Luxembourg was the featured vintner. He donated several vintages of his wine, Château Haut-Brion, which had 2 bidders involved in a bidding war. He donated a second lot to the losing bidder; the combined price for both was $1.1 million.
2013 - Theme “When Stars Align,” Chairs Terry & Bob Edwards, the auction raised $8.6 million. Chef de Cuisine was Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern and Honored Vintner was Barbara Banke of Vérité; top auction lot $750,000 for a 2013 F12berlinetta Ferrari, top wine lot $180,000 for a 65 bottle complete vertical of Château Mouton Rothschild artist label series housed in a custom-made display table. (auction totals reached over $110 million to date)
2014 - Theme “Celebrate the Journey,” Chairs Anne Welsh McNulty, Linda Richards Malone, Adria Starkey, the auction raised $12.5 million. Chef de Cuisine was Bill Telepan of Telepan and Honored Vintner was Olivier Krug, Krug Champagne; top auction lot $1.4 million for “Beautiful Minds” Fund a Need helping NCEF’s Children’s Mental Health Initiative; top wine lot was $400,000 “Stunning Staglin” four double magnums of wine from Staglin and Domaine Michel Lafarge and a six-day Parisian and Burgundian wine adventure. Following spirited bidding, a second identical lot was donated. Each captured a bid of $200,000. (auction total reached over $123 million raised to date)
2015 – Theme “Imagine the Possibilities” Chairs Sharon & Chuck Hallberg and Sandi & Tom Moran, the auction raised $12.32 million (including $231,000 from online auction). Chef de Cuisine was Barbara Lynch of Menton and Honored Vintner was Marchese Piero Antinori of Marchesi Antinori; top auction lot $1 million for “Now You See It” Fund a Need helping NCEF’s Children’s Vision Initiative; top wine lot was $500,000 “You’ve Been Krug’d!” complete with a collection of Krug’s most notable bottles and a private, multi-day visit to the champagne house’s French estate.
2016 – Theme “Great Expectations” Chairs Laura & Jim Dixon and Sandi & Tom Moran; the auction raised $11.2 million (including $171,500 from online auction). Chef de Cuisine was Rick Tramonto of Restaurant R'evolution and Honored Vintner Emily & Paul Michael of Peter Michael Winery; top auction lot was $750,000 for "The Ultimate First Dawn" the first global customer to receive a Rolls Royce Dawn and visit to Goodwood, UK to watch the car being built; top wine lot was $720,000 for "Rocking at BottleRock" a BottleRock experience for 2 couples with Gargiulo Vineyards.
2017 - Theme "Bright Sunshiny Day" Chairs Debbi & Bill Cary, Denise & Brian Cobb, Valerie Boyd & Jeff Gargiulo, Simone & Scott Lutgert, the auction raised over $15.2 million (including $1,646,889 for the NCEF Children's Healthcare Initiative Fund a Need and $183,396 from the online auction.) The Chef de Cuisine was Wolfgang Puck of Wolfgang Puck Worldwide and the Honored Vintner was Pierre Lurton of Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau d'Yquem; top auction lot was "A Bright Sunshiny Future" at $1.6 million for the NCEF Children's Healthcare Initiative Fund a Need; top wine lot was $460,000 for "A Journey to Italy" a 6-day voyage to the Amalfi Coast with wines from Lokoya.
2018 - Festival Chairs Becky & Lewie Card, Susie & David McCurry, Kathy & Dan Mezzalingua; Festival dates Jan. 26-28, 2018.
Naples Winter Wine Festival Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
