Lot 26
Moonlight, a Balloon Flight and the Magic of Italy

Italian holiday for four (4) people for seven (7) days, six (6) nights (September 6-12, 2008)
First class airfare provided for four (4) people

VENICE
Two (2) nights in Venice at the Hotel San Clemente for four (4) people
Private viewing location for the regatta in Venice on September 7, 2008
Dinner for four (4) people at the famous Harry’s Bar
Private tour of the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello

FLORENCE
Two (2) nights in Florence at the historic Bisarno Castle for four (4) people
Dinner for four (4) people at Al Chiasso dei Portici restaurant in Radda
Trip by hot-air balloon over the Chianti region with champagne breakfast upon landing
Private dinner overlooking the Arno at the home of Elisa Piccini
Custom-made, 18-kt. gold and diamond “Child with the Balloon” pin designed by Armando Piccini of Fratelli Piccini specifically for the 2008 NWWF
36 - 750ml 2004 Vigna Vecchia Chianti Classico
24 - 750ml 2004 Vigna Vecchia Chianti Classico, DOCG Riserva
Private car and driver provided during the stay

TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE
Two (2) nights at Agriturismo Fonte de’ Medici for four (4) people
Two (2) breakfasts and one (1) dinner at Trattoria della Fonte
A private, guided tour of the cellars and vineyards of the Tignanello estate and a wine tasting with lunch at Villa Tignanello
One (1) dinner or lunch at Osteria di Passignano
1 – 3 Liter 1997 Tignanello, Toscana IGT

Your heart will flutter and your adventurous spirit will take flight with this incredibly enchanting experience in the land of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Chianti and Fratelli Piccini. This September, you will surely sigh when the ever-seductive city of Venice takes your breath away. Admire Renaissance bridges, gaze at palazzos and grand landmarks like St. Mark’s Square, and hear the soothing songs of gondoliers as you glide effortlessly through the canals. You’ll spend two glorious nights at the Hotel San Clemente, located on a private island with majestic views of the city. The highlight of your stay in Venice may be watching the world-renowned regatta from a private, very special location. You’ll also have the chance to dine at the famous Harry’s Bar and indulge your love of fine Italian automobiles touring the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello.

What could be more magical than Venice? Perhaps a room with a view of the Arno as cathedral bells herald your arrival in Florence. You’ll spend two nights at the historic Bisarno Castle, a 13th century palazzo belonging to the Beccari family, owners of Azienda Agricola Vigna Vecchia. Then you can explore the winding cobbled streets, churches, piazzas and galleries that make a Florentine escape so memorable. Not only will you see this city of masterpieces but taste it as well. Share your stories over dinner at Al Chiasso dei Portici in Radda, once the capital of the Chianti region. But don’t linger too late at the table—in the morning, you’ll soar above the Chianti vineyards in a hot air balloon and enjoy a champagne breakfast upon landing. Your last night in Florence, you’ll dine at the private home of your hostess, Elisa Piccini. The evening will be as precious as the 18-karat gold and diamond “Child with the Balloon” pin, made specifically for the Festival by Fratelli Piccini. Founded in 1903 as a shop on the Ponte Vecchio by Pirro Piccini, Fratelli Piccini has grown into an internationally renowned jeweler, adorning the necks, earlobes and wrists of European nobility, Hollywood royalty and illuminati from around the world. Pirro’s sons (Renzo, Tebaldo and Armando) followed in his footsteps. Today, Armando’s niece, Laura Piccini and her daughter Elisa carry the same passion for quality that made them purveyor to the Royal House of Italy.

During this magical trip through the Veneto and Tuscany, you will be exposed both to the natural beauty of the region, as well as the art and architecture of its people. Your experience starts with a Double Magnum of Italy’s “Vintage of the Century” — the 1997 Tignanello from one of the architects of modern Italian wine, Marchesi Piero Antinori.

At least partial credit for the Super Tuscan movement rests at the feet of the Antinori family. Frustrated by laws that prohibited the use of Cabernet, or forbade Chianti Classico to be 100% Sangiovese, Antinori took his finest lots of Sangiovese, added his best Cabernet Sauvignon, aged the blend in the finest small French oak barrels and labeled this wine with the lowest designation in the DOC hierarchy. The wine was Tignanello, and it helped spawn a revolution in Tuscan winemaking.

No revolution has more beautiful battlefields than this one. You can drink in the landscape as the guest of the Antinori family at their historic country estate, Fonte de’ Medici, where three clusters of farmhouses are surrounded by vineyards. You’ll taste the fruit of Piero’s labor on a private tour of the Tignanello cellars, vineyards and estate, topped off with lunch at Villa Tignanello. The flavors of Chianti’s regional cuisine will permeate your taste buds and your memories at Trattoria della Fonte, where you’ll enjoy both breakfasts and a dinner. The trattoria is an absolute must after a hike through the Chianti hills or a Sunday stroll to the lake Buca del Granchio. In the Antinori lands surrounding the abbey, the Badia a Passignano is the Osteria di Passignano, opened in 2000 with chef Marcello Crini, a connoisseur and enthusiast of Tuscan food and wine. You’ll not only have lunch or dinner here—you’ll understand and live the area, its traditions and passions through Marcello’s zealous cooking.

Chianti and Tuscany will cast a magical spell on you should you win this remarkable experience.

Insider’s Info: Fonte de’ Medici needs at least two months advance booking notice. Portions of this trip are subject to change without notice.

DONORS: Fratelli Piccini, Azienda Agricola Vigna Vecchia and Piero Antinori of Marchesi Antinori
Airfare provided by an anonymous donor