The 8th Annual Naples Winter Wine Festival is February 6th-8th.

MISSION AND VISION

Proceeds from the Festival benefit the Naples Children & Education Foundation, whose vision is to make a profound and sustaining difference in the quality of children's lives. NCEF is committed to supporting charitable programs that improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of underprivileged and at risk children in Collier County. Since its inception in 2001, the Naples Winter Wine Festival has raised more than $69 million for children in need.

THE FESTIVAL

The Naples Winter Wine Festival is ranked among the top 10 arts and entertainment events for wealthy Americans. The June 2006 ranking by the Luxury Institute is based on exclusivity, quality and prestige. The event brings many of the world's finest vintners and chefs together with wine collectors and philanthropists for a three-day gala in picturesque Naples, Florida.

Guests fly in from all over the world to attend this special event.  A maximum of 600 guests keep the event small and intimate. 

TICKET PACKAGES

DOUBLE MAGANUM

$7,500 Per Couple

JEROBOAM

$20,000 with reserved seating for a party of four at the same vintner
dinner and at the same table on auction day.  (This ticket gets the guests an invitation to dine at the Naples home of  one of the festival's founders.  Dinner will be prepared by one of the world's top Chefs. 

This year, Emeril LaGrasse is Chef de Cuisine for the entire festival.  In addition, one of the festival Vitners will attend the dinner and provide all the many wines for the evening's meal. 

There are 18 celebrity chefs in all. 

There are 29 Vitners attending the event and donating their wines to raise money for the kids.

Tickets are sold for the entire festival only. It is not possible to buy tickets to individual events.

The guests are taken to the various receipents of the charity to see first-hand how the money they raise is being spent.

How is the money raised?

The millions are raised at a one-day auction held in a tent that is located outside next to the Naples Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort at Tiburon Golf & Country Club.

There will be 65 Lots for the attendees to bid on.  These Lots have been donated by the Vitners and many of the guests themselves.

These 65 Lots are unique and cannot be purchased as they have been created for this special event only.

Let's see a few of the Lots to get a feel for them....................

Lot # 27-"What a Total Dreamboat!"

• Ten (10) day Caribbean voyage aboard the 170' Feadship yacht Dream for up to twelve (12) people

• Food and drinks aboard ship, fuel, taxes and port charges are all included

Handsome. Sophisticated. Well traveled. Sexy. And ready to take you on a Caribbean cruise you will never forget. To any port of call. Cater to your every whim. Who is this good-looking dreamboat at your beck and call? None other than a literal dream boat-the Motor Yacht Dream, with a crew of 12 to serve your every need. While on board you can sample some of the finest wines from Napa Valley: Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Gargiulo Vineyards and Napa Valley Reserve - as well as some excellent French Bordeaux - all donated to make your Dream cruise even more special!

Your 170-foot Feadship yacht, launched in 2003, is like a floating boutique hotel with six plentifully appointed guest rooms, including a master suite and VIP suite. Satellite television, DVD players and wireless Internet are available in every guest room. In the evenings, when you are not exploring exotic locales, watch a movie chosen from the gigantic DVD library in the cinema/TV sky lounge, work out at the onboard gym or relax in the top deck Jacuzzi, sipping your Napa Valley wine under the stars. Enjoy gourmet cuisine prepared by your chef and attentive service by the crew as you cruise along your personally designated itinerary, beginning and ending at St. Martin, with St. Barth's being the closest island. Choose destinations like St. Barth's, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis. Wherever you decide to go, you can explore exotic, out-of-the-way enclaves full of history and adventure.

Arguably the most glamorous island in the Caribbean, St. Barth's is an intoxicating mix of beautiful beaches, luxurious boutiques, tantalizing eateries and indulgent relaxation. Here you'll get a taste of fine food and wine, the charm of a European village, and the action of a sports mecca. The island's waters are ideal for snorkeling, teeming with conch and green sea turtles as well as magnificent underwater flora. For a closer look, take the submarine ride from Gustavia's harbor where you can admire St. Barth's coral reefs through large glass portholes.

As you approach Antigua, you may channel the spirit of Lord Horatio Nelson, who patrolled these waters in the 1780s to maintain Britain's sea power and protect its trade routes. Little did he know that the same mesmerizing allure that attracted the Royal Navy would transform Antigua and neighboring Barbuda into one of the Caribbean's premier tourist destinations. In addition to world-class ocean sports and recreational pursuits, you can visit European settlements and fortifications dating back as far as the 1600s.

The enchanting archipelago of the Virgin Islands has a multicultural heritage, with influences of Spain, Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States along with its original Arawak and Carib inhabitants. Luxuriate on its beautiful beaches, drink in panoramic vistas and seek out historic sites like Drake's Seat, a mountain peak on St. Thomas from where Sir Francis could observe his fleet. Daiquiri lovers make the pilgrimage to the mountaintop home of Cruzan Rum, birthplace of the banana daiquiri. In the British Virgin Islands, don't miss Virgin Gorda, so named by Christopher Columbus because its shape reminded him of a reclining woman, ample in size, virtue intact. The giant boulders of "The Baths" are one of the most iconic symbols in all the British Virgin Islands. Snorkeling gear is provided so you can explore the glowing caverns and pools at your leisure.

In your spare time, relax aboard Dream or have fun with the ship's waverunners, water skis and diving equipment.

Your biggest decisions are where you'll go and who'll be going with you when you win this incredibly "dreamy" Caribbean voyage!

Insider's Info: Trip to be taken during one of the following time periods: March 10-April 30, 2009, October 1-December 19, 2009, or January 16-March 31, 2010. Dates must be selected and reserved by March 15, 2009. Yacht will leave from and return to St. Martin. Airfare is not included.

Donor: Michael G. DeGroote, Sr.

Lot # 51-"You're Such a Character"

• Two (2) tickets to the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theater in Los Angeles

• Four (4) nights luxury accommodations in Los Angeles for two (2) people

• Party with the stars at weekend Emmy events

• Private limousine on Emmy night

• One (1) person drawn in as a character on "The Simpsons"

• One (1) walk-on role on a top Twentieth Century FOX TV show like "Bones" or "How I Met Your Mother"

• Dinner in Brentwood at the home of Gary & Jeanne Newman, catered by the chefs of Hollywood hotspot ANIMAL, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, and with special celebrity guests

• 24 - 750ml 2007 Jorian Hill Vineyard (Mixed cases of Viognier, Santa Ynez Syrah, Reserve Syrah and Beespoke)

If your life were turned into a primetime program on a major network, what would it be like? Think of the cast of characters. Would you have whacky next-door neighbors, an odd but lovable best friend and maybe a spouse with a bizarre job, like control-board operator at a nuclear power plant? Throw in a trio of loudly dressed kids who never seem to leave your living room, a weekly disaster you've got to resolve and a few guest stars and you have yourself a hit show. Raise your paddle now and your likeness will be immortalized, not in bronze or cement handprints, but in animation as a character on "The Simpsons" - winner of 24 Emmy Awards and the longest-running sitcom AND animated series on American television.

And speaking of Emmys...every year, the best of the best on primetime television is honored at the Primetime Emmy Awards. This fall, at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards, you'll be on the red carpet at the Nokia Theater, rubbing elbows with actors, writers, producers and directors of the most watched shows on the air. Bring your shades-flashbulbs will be popping as you take your private limo to the ceremony, studded with stars and Hollywood's A-list. You'll also have a walk-on role on a hit series program, such as "Bones" or "How I Met Your Mother."

Regale your friends and fellow special Hollywood guests with your new exciting stories over dinner at the Brentwood home of Jeanne and Gary Newman, catered by the chefs of ANIMAL, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, who also star on the Food Network show "Two Dudes Catering." ANIMAL, a culinary homage to urbane carnivores of the human species, is one of L.A.'s hottest new eateries.

As Chairman of 20th Century Fox Television, Gary Newman has led the studio to unparalleled success in developing thought-provoking dramas such as "24" and "Prison Break," as well as cutting-edge comedies like "Ally McBeal," "Family Guy" and "Arrested Development." Jeanne Newman is a partner in one of Hollywood's top entertainment law firms and specializes in reality programming leading one industry trade to dub her the "unscripted genre's leading lawyer." Talk at the table won't only be about television, however, as Gary and Jeanne are also the proprietors of Jorian Hill, a 20-acre vineyard nestled in the seaside foothills of Santa Barbara County. Jorian Hill produces exceptional small-lot, estate-grown wines through the combination of the meticulous techniques of the Rhône Valley and the best Californian winemaking traditions. An array of its premier estate wines, including its Viognier, Santa Ynez Syrah, Reserve Syrah and Beespoke are included to whet your appetite for the adventures to come.

Sink your teeth into this incredibly animated, glamorous Emmy Award experience!

Insider's Info: Walk-on role will depend upon availability and production schedules. Exact dates of trip to be determined. Airfare and ground transportation, excluding limousine service on Emmy night, are not included.

Donor: Jeanne & Gary Newman of Jorian Hill

Lot # 63-"Palaces, Temples, and Elephants, Oh My!"

• A ten (10) day and night (9) night odyssey exploring the ancient and diverse subcontinent of India for two (2) couples

• Round-trip, business class airfare provided for two (2) couples to Delhi, India from Miami, FL

• Luxury accommodations throughout your trip, including:

  • Two (2) nights in Delhi at The Aman New Delhi

  • Two (2) nights in Udaipur at either Taj Lake Palace Hotel or Oberoi Udaivilas

  • Two (2) nights in Jaipur at Taj Rambagh Palace Hotel

  • Two (2) nights in Agra at The Oberoi Amarvilas Hotel

  • One (1) night in Delhi at The Trident, Gurgaon Hotel

India is the seventh largest country in land area, second only to China in population, and the most populous democracy in the world. This enigmatic and breathtakingly beautiful country in South Asia is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the east. Within its borders are some of the most marvelous monuments ever made by man, as well as breathtaking natural wonders, such as the Himalayas and the sacred Ganges River.

On this journey of eleven unforgettable days, you are transported through 5,000 years of spectacular history and a colorful kaleidoscope of cultures, religions and landscapes. India's startling juxtapositions of old and new harmoniously coexist without sacrificing either tradition or progress. There really is no other land in the world which can boast such verdant, tropical jungles and glorious stretches of beaches, barren deserts and huge arid plateaus, rolling foothills, wildlife sanctuaries and innumerable ancient monuments. Above all, the impeccable service offered by its warm-hearted people makes India impossible to resist for discerning travelers.

Everywhere you travel, you will see the awe-inspiring evidence of India's highly unique blend of beliefs and cultures, from centuries ago when Mogul emperors roamed the land on elephants to the arrival of the British who, over three centuries, transformed the landscape and its people. Gradually annexed by the British East India Company from the early 1700s and colonized by the United Kingdom from the mid-1800s, India became a modern nation state, gaining its independence in 1947 after a struggle that was remarkable for the widespread nonviolent resistance epitomized by Mahatma Gandhi.

Today's modern India is home alike to the tribesman, with his anachronistic lifestyle, and to the sophisticated urban jetsetter. It is a land where temple elephants co-exist amicably with the microchip. Its ancient monuments are a backdrop to a contemporary land, where atomic energy is generated and industrial development has brought the country within the world's top ten nations.

See some of this exotic country's most astounding sights in this one truly epic experience.

Insider's Info: India is extremely popular and should be booked as far in advance as possible. All accommodations, arrangements and services are subject to availability at time of booking. Restrictions apply.

Donor: Greaves Tours