Naples Winter Wine Festival online auction returns

The Naples Winter Wine Festival’s popular online auction will return for a 12th consecutive year later this month, offering bidders around the world access to more than 100 luxury wine, food, travel and lifestyle experiences while supporting children’s programs in Collier County.

Organized by the Naples Children Foundation, the online auction runs from 8 a.m. Jan. 23 through 5 p.m. Feb. 3 and is open to the public. Since launching in 2015, the online auction has raised nearly $5.2 million, expanding participation beyond the festival’s in-person events and helping fund services for the county’s most vulnerable children.

“We are excited about the breadth and scope of the items to be offered in this year’s online auction and are confident they will entice bidders in all price ranges from around the globe,” said Sherie Marek, a Naples Children Foundation board member and online auction committee co-chair. “This offering began as an extension of the festival and has grown in significance each year, with every dollar helping NCF fulfill the mission in its support of charitable programs that create transformational change and improve educational, emotional and health outcomes for vulnerable children in our community.”

This year’s offerings span rare wines, private culinary events, luxury travel and exclusive access experiences. Highlights include a Napa Valley stay with behind-the-scenes access at ADAMVS and Château Fonplégade; curated cases of collectible wines from France and Italy; and a four-night private estate stay in Napa hosted by vintners Sabrina and Tim Persson, complete with a private dinner at The French Laundry.

Other featured lots include a Palm Beach shopping getaway hosted by Marissa Collections with tickets to the Miami Open; VIP access to Art Basel Miami Beach with private helicopter transportation from Naples; a chef’s tasting experience at Michelin-recommended Poppy & Seed in Anaheim; and an exclusive Bentley Naples dinner at the members-only Butcher Private club, paired with a two-night Bentley driving experience.

Sports, travel and art are also represented, with experiences ranging from a luxury suite outing at an FC Naples soccer match to a five-night private stay at The Abaco Club in the Bahamas, as well as a limited-edition fine art photograph by Naples-based artist David K. Beavis.

The online auction precedes the 26th Naples Winter Wine Festival, scheduled for Jan. 30 through Feb. 1 at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón. Since its inception in 2001, the festival has raised more than $336 million and impacted the lives of 385,000 children through grants and strategic initiatives.

Bidding information and auction details are available at nwwfonlineauction.com.