This article was originally published on Feb. 5th, 2026. It appears in the May 31, 2026, issue as “Naples Winter Wine Festival Raises Over $30 Million.”
The annual Naples Winter Wine Festival (NWWF) has reaffirmed its status as the nation’s top charity wine auction, raising more than $30 million to benefit local children’s causes. The 26th edition of the event, held during the final weekend of January at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón, offered roughly 650 bidders dozens of lots featuring rare wines, luxury travel, world-class dining and celebrity experiences.
This year’s haul brings the festival’s lifetime total to more than $366 million raised since its inception in 2001, all benefiting some of the most effective local nonprofits and reaching 385,000 children across Collier County. The event raised $34 million in 2025 and $33 million in 2024.
“Raising more than $30 million at the 2026 Naples Winter Wine Festival is a powerful testament to what’s possible when an extraordinary community comes together around a shared purpose,” said Ashley Gerry, 2026 Festival co-chair and auction lot committee member. “The generosity, passion and commitment we witnessed this year will have a lasting impact on children in our community for generations to come.”
Star Power, Dazzling Lots and Big Contributions
As in previous years, the auction featured contributions from some of the world’s most acclaimed vintners and chefs. Participating wineries included Darioush, Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Bodega Catena Zapata, Biondi Santi and many more. Leading chefs also played a central role, including several from Wine Spectator Restaurant Award-winners, with figures such as Cassidee Dabney of The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Philip Tessier of Press Restaurant and Nancy Oakes of Boulevard serving private dinners for attendees on the evening preceding the live auction.
Of the 51 lots on offer, four drew winning bids that surpassed the million-dollar mark. The top earner was an exclusive performance by Grammy-nominated Thomas Rhett along with a wine-paired dinner that raised $1.375 million from 55 couples contributing $25,000 each.
Other seven-figure highlights included a dinner for 40 couples (also wine-paired, also $25,000 each) at Prime Social Reserve in Naples, prepared by chef Dustin Valette of Valette and The Matheson in Healdsburg, Calif.; a weeklong stay at the Lake Como luxury estate Villa Polli, which drew bids of more than $250,000 each from four couples; and the $1.1 million “Vanquish Velocity: Waves and Wheels” package, which secured a 2026 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante convertible, luxury Miami hotel accommodations and dinner at Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club for one generous bidder.
Advancing Children’s Health and Opportunity
While the live auction’s high profile lots drew much of the attention, the weekend also included on-the-spot donations totaling more than $7 million in support of healthcare initiatives from the Naples Children Foundation (NCF). An additional online auction also surpassed the $1 million mark.
In mid-March, the NCF, which has partnerships with over 90 local charities spanning healthcare, food assistance, childcare, education and more, will distribute proceeds to nonprofit organizations supporting children in need throughout Collier County. Next year’s auction will again take place at the Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburón and is slated for Jan. 29-31.
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