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    The Naples Winter Wine Festival is ranked among the top 10 arts and entertainment events for wealthy Americans. This ranking by the Luxury Institute is based on exclusivity, quality and prestige.
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      Revered Group of Featured Sommeliers to Showcase Their Talents with Some of the ...
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Published Articles

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Apr. 102011

$7.9 Million Awarded to Collier County Charities

ABC-7

Apr. 012011

Toast a Winner

Gulfshore Life

Apr. 012011

Gulfshore Insider – Flash!

Gulfshore Life

Mar. 232011

Naples Rises From Florida Housing Swamp as Wealthy Buyers Return to Market

Bloomberg.com

Mar. 112011

Editorial: Stars and spurs, dollars and coconuts

Naplesnews.com

Mar. 092011

Naples Foundation Kicks Off Three Year Campaign Against Childhood Hunger

Naplesnews.com

Mar. 012011

2011 Wine Festival $12 Million Raised

Life in Naples

Feb. 282011

NCEF Trustees Honored with Edison State College LIFE Award

NaplesNews.com

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.

The incredible lineup of world-renowned vintners i

The incredible lineup of world-renowned vintners includes Aymeric de Gironde of Château Troplong Mondot in Saint-Émilion, France.
Born into a family of winemakers and cognac distillers, Aymeric de Gironde began his journey with Hennessy in New York before joining Krug in France, expanding its presence across Europe and the U.S. In 2006, he took on a new challenge in Bordeaux, overseeing commercial and marketing efforts alongside AXA Millésimes. Six years later, Aymeric was invited by Michel Reybier to lead Château Cos d’Estournel, where he brought his vision of excellence and innovation to one of Saint-Estèphe’s most celebrated estates.
That same pursuit of purpose led him to Château Troplong Mondot, where he now serves as General Manager—honoring its heritage while shaping a new, contemporary chapter.

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Mark Bright

Please join us in welcoming sommelier Mark Bright of Saison Hospitality in San Francisco, California.
Mark Bright discovered his passion for wine at 15 while traveling through Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. His career began as a sommelier in Las Vegas and San Francisco, earning early recognition from Wine & Spirits and Wine Spectator. Today, he is co-founder and beverage director of Saison Hospitality Group, home to Michelin-starred restaurants, a boutique winery and a rare wine brokerage—all built on quality and sustainability.