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In the News & Press

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Oct. 192015

Bid on 14-Nights Aboard the World’s Largest Privately-Owned Yacht at the Naples Winter Wine Fest

Raise your glasses! The 2026 Naples Winter Wine Fe

Raise your glasses! The 2026 Naples Winter Wine Festival is only 3 months away! This year’s theme “Picture This” reflects the NCF’s mission of transforming the lives of children in need. It is a call to imagine and to believe in what is possible when compassion meets action. The theme challenges Festival supporters, vintners, chefs and donors to picture the impact their generosity can have in creating a world of endless futures for children in our community. We can't wait to see you January 30, 2026 through February 1, 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón.

Picture this! A heartfelt thank you to Naples Chil

Picture this! A heartfelt thank you to Naples Children Foundation Trustees and 2026 NWWF Co-Chairs Ashley and Adam Gerry for the sweet treats they surprised the NCF staff with this morning. Our team is working extra hard as we prepare for the Festival—only three months away!

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Lindsey Fern

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Lindsey Fern of Nemacolin in Farmington, Pennsylvania. After falling in love with wine while backpacking through Europe and Africa, Lindsey built a global career in hospitality—from London to Miami. She joined The Inn at Little Washington in 2014, becoming the only female wine director of a Three Michelin-starred restaurant in the U.S. Now director of wine & spirits at Nemacolin, Lindsey—a mother of two and Advanced Sommelier—sees wine as a beautiful mix of art, history and science, and loves connecting guests to the stories behind each bottle.

Joining the distinguished Vintner lineup for this

Joining the distinguished Vintner lineup for this year’s Festival is Naoko Dalla Valle and Maya Dalla Valle of Dalla Valle Vineyards in Oakville, California.
Founder and visionary behind one of Napa Valley’s most beloved wineries, Naoko Dalla Valle has spent over three decades crafting world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from her Oakville hillside vineyard. A passionate farmer and hands-on vintner, Naoko continues to shape the legacy she began in 1986—now alongside her daughter, Maya.
Second-generation winemaker and Dalla Valle’s wine director, Maya Dalla Valle brings global experience and a deep family connection to the vineyard she grew up on. With degrees from Cornell and Bordeaux Sciences Agro, and training at world-renowned estates, Maya now carries forward her family’s Napa Valley legacy with vision and heart.

NWWF26 Celebrity Chef highlights! Today we are fea

NWWF26 Celebrity Chef highlights! Today we are featuring Joe Flamm, Culinary Director of Day Off Group, in Chicago, Illinois.
Joe Flamm oversees Chicago favorites Rose Mary and BLVD Steakhouse. A South Side native and winner of Top Chef Season 15, Joe honed his craft in some of Chicago’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, including Spiaggia, where he served as executive chef.
Inspired by his Italian roots and the bold flavors of Croatian cuisine, Joe opened Rose Mary in 2021—named after his grandmothers, Mary and Mary Rose. Since then, he’s expanded Day Off Group’s portfolio with BLVD Steakhouse and the Roman-inspired il Carciofo.

Congratulations to Ashley Gerry, 2026 Naples Winte

Congratulations to Ashley Gerry, 2026 Naples Winter Wine Festival Co-Chair, for being named one of Gulfshore Life’s Men & Women of the Year 2025! "These innovators, changemakers and tastemakers are shaping philanthropy, design and culture across Naples, Marco Island and beyond." Ashley’s philanthropic leadership and creativity continue to inspire Southwest Florida. 💖
Photography: @omarcruzphoto

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Erik Elliott

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Erik Elliott, MS of Lawrence Wine Estates in St. Helena, California.
Master Sommelier and Heitz Cellar Estate Director Erik Elliott has built a career defined by passion and purpose. A Philadelphia native and Temple University graduate, Erik fell in love with wine while working at Del Frisco’s Steakhouse. He sold everything to move to Aspen, joining the world-renowned wine program at The Little Nell, where he rose to lead sommelier. After years exploring Europe’s top estates, he traded the mountains for Napa Valley, becoming estate director at Heitz Cellar in 2019. In 2022, he achieved his longtime dream—earning the title of Master Sommelier and reimagining luxury hospitality at Heitz Cellar.

Joining the distinguished Vintner lineup for this

Joining the distinguished Vintner lineup for this year’s Festival is Dominique Arangoïts of Cos d’Estournel in Saint-Éstephe, France.
Born in 1969, Dominique Arangoïts studied agronomy at ENITA (now Bordeaux Sciences Agro) and wine science at the Institute of Oenology of Bordeaux. He began his career at Hungary’s historic Tokaj Disznókő estate before joining Château Cos d’Estournel in 2000, where he continues to craft some of Bordeaux’s most celebrated wines.

This year’s Honored Vintners, Shahpar and Dariou

This year’s Honored Vintners, Shahpar and Darioush Khaledi, together with Chef de Cuisine Dustin Valette, will headline an all-star lineup of world-renowned winemakers and celebrity chefs at the Naples Winter Wine Festival, with over 45 vintners and chefs also joining the 2026 celebration. 🥂✨

Joining the distinguished lineup for this year’s

Joining the distinguished lineup for this year’s Naples Winter Wine Festival is Carissa Mondavi of Continuum Estate in Saint Helena, California.
Carissa Mondavi is a fourth-generation winegrower at Continuum Estate, involved in communications, marketing, hospitality and sales. Her love for wine began at the family table, inspired by her father’s passion, and was deepened by summer internships in the cellar and vineyards. Inspired daily by the team, the vineyards and the wines themselves, Carissa cherishes the culture of wine and how it brings people together. As her grandfather Robert said, “Interest is not enough, you have to be passionate!” She continues to contribute passionately to her family’s vision and legacy in wine.

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Jacob Brown

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Jacob Brown of Lazy Bear in San Francisco, California.
Jacob Brown began his beverage career as a ski bum bartender in Park City, Utah, where he discovered his passion for wine through the Introductory Sommelier Course. He moved to Austin, Texas, working his way up from dishwasher to beverage director at restaurants including Counter 3.FIVE.VII and the ELM Restaurant Group. Today, Jacob is head sommelier at San Francisco’s acclaimed Lazy Bear, curating beverage pairings for the tasting menu while pursuing his Master Sommelier Diploma. A dedicated wine professional—and lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan—he’s always chasing the perfect pour (and a Super Bowl win).

NWWF26 Celebrity Chef highlights! Today we are fea

NWWF26 Celebrity Chef highlights! Today we are featuring Dean Fearing of Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas, Texas.
James Beard Award winner Chef Dean Fearing is the culinary icon behind Fearing’s in Dallas, known for his southwestern cuisine and dedication to locally sourced ingredients. A Culinary Institute of America graduate and “Pioneer of American Cuisine,” Dean spent over two decades as executive chef of The Rosewood Mansion before opening Fearing’s in 2007. He’s starred on Dean’s Cuisine, cooked for presidents and celebrities, authored The Texas Food Bible, and off the plate, performs with his all-chef band, The Barbwires.