Improving Lives of Underserved Children in Collier County
Patrons pose in front of a festive balloon display honoring the 25th anniversary of the Naples Winter Wine Festival.
Photo courtesy of Lane Wilkinson
The 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) culminated on January 25, 2025, with patrons showing incredible generosity at the exhilarating Live Auction, generating more than $34 million to support at-risk and underprivileged children in Collier County. This brings the total amount raised by the NWWF to more than $336 million since its inception in 2001.
Festival attendees once again came together under the big tent just outside The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón to bid on 52 unique, one-of-a-kind wine, travel, and culinary live auction lots, many of which included wines from some of the world’s most revered vineyards. All proceeds will support some of the most effective nonprofit organizations in the community that have so far provided 350,000 local children with the essential services and resources they need to excel.
This year’s top auction lots included an astounding $1.7 million for a 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible with Mulliner configuration and VIP Bentley experience at Monterey Car Week; two “Million Dollar” experiences for 40 lucky couples each, including an acoustic concert with Scotty McCreery at The Club Room at Campiello and an exclusive Italian dinner at Bleu Provence with celebrity chef Angelo Auriana; and an indulgent yachting voyage along the Croatian Coast for four couples aboard the luxurious 122-foot Navilux private charter yacht.
More than 50 unique, one-of-a-kind items were up for bid under the big tent during the
2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival Live Auction Day. Photo courtesy of Lane Wilkinson
Paying homage to the past 25 years of accomplishments, this year’s Fund a Need, “Fund the Future,” brought in on-the-spot contributions of over $5.8 million to support all seven of NCEF’s strategic initiatives, including Early Learning, Healthcare, Hunger, Mental Health, Oral Health, Out-of-School Time, and Vision. Every dollar donated during this heartfelt call to action will go to support underprivileged children in Collier County with a holistic approach focusing on the well-being of the whole child and supporting the continued success of their collective impact projects.
The 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival kicked off Thursday morning with Vintage Cellar, a pre-festival tasting and luncheon. This year, the festival honored Count Louis-Michel and Countess Constance Liger-Belair, owners of the legendary Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair wine estate in Burgundy, France, as 2025 Honored Vintners and Angelo Auriana, the innovative celebrity chef behind The Factory Kitchen and BRERA Ristorante, as 2025 Chef de Cuisine.
Supporters get the chance to interact with the children who benefit from their generosity during the annual “Meet the Kids Day.”
Photo courtesy of Sharon Mammano
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 catered luncheon highlighting fabulous wines presented by acclaimed vintners.
The night before Saturday’s Live Auction, 20 award-winning chefs, over 20 renowned vintners, and 19 of the world’s elite featured sommeliers paired off to prepare exquisite, intimate dinners at the elegant, private homes of festival trustees and other exclusive settings throughout 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 17.
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 throughout 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 $336 million, making a profound difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in Collier County.
About Naples Children & Education Foundation
The Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF), the founding organization of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, is improving the educational, emotional, and health outcomes of underprivileged and at-risk children. Through its annual grants and strategic initiatives, NCEF has impacted close to 90 of the most effective nonprofits in the local community, providing 350,000 children with the services and resources they need to excel. NCEF's unique approach, which emphasizes collaboration between organizations and 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 & Education Foundation or the Naples Winter Wine Festival, contact Lisa Juliano at lisa@napleswinefestival.com or 239.514.2239.
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