Naples Children & Education Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival

Today marks World Children’s Day with this year’s theme being “investing in our future means investing in our children,” which deeply resonates with us at NCEF. We recognize ourselves as investors, committed to achieving the highest level of human gain for the grant dollars we have available. We do this by strategically investing in organizations that serve children within four service categories: Child Advocacy, Early Learning, Medical/Healthcare and Out-of-School Time. The programs we fund work tirelessly to foster an environment where children can reach their full potential. Child Advocacy initiatives protect our children’s rights and safety, Early Learning programs set strong educational foundations, Medical/Healthcare services provide essential care and Out-of-School Time programs offer enriching experiences beyond the classroom. Together, these investments contribute to a brighter, more promising future for the next generation. #WorldChildrensDay #ChildrensDay

The Naples Children & Education Foundation, the founding organization of the renowned Naples Winter Wine Festival, held its annual Volunteer Appreciation Brunch, sponsored by Waterside Shops. This special event honored the incredible volunteers who generously contribute their time and talent throughout the year. Volunteers help make the #NWWF possible by preparing invitations, stuffing gift bags, delivering food, serving wine and greeting guests.?? The brunch, hosted at BrickTop's Restaurant in Waterside Shops, was NCEF’s way of expressing gratitude as the countdown continues to the 25th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival, taking place January 24-26, 2025.?

The lineup of world-renowned vintners joining us during the #NWWF25 includes Alessia Antinori of Marchesi Antinori Srl. in Tuscany, Italy. Born in 1975, Alessia Antinori is the youngest daughter of Piero Antinori and has served as vice president of Marchesi Antinori since 2016. Raised in the family’s historic Palazzo Antinori in Florence, she was educated locally and worked at the family estates from 1996. She earned a degree in viticulture and oenology in 1998 and led the development of the Tenuta Montenisa sparkling wine brand. Alessia expanded her expertise in export and sales, spending time in India, Asia and later New York. She also represents Antinori on the Primum Familiae Vini board and oversees the Antinori Art Project. Passionate about art, she is President of MAXXI Friends in Rome and serves on MoMA’s International Council.

In honor of the Naples Winter Wine Festival's 25th anniversary in 2025, the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) enlisted longtime partner Thomas Riley Companies to create a landmark piece symbolizing this milestone. They turned to Chad Jensen, Creative Director & Managing Partner of METHOD & CONCEPT to lead the project. Jensen's research explored connections between Naples, Florida, and its Italian counterpart, delving into Italian viticulture, mythology, and culture. This inspired the concept of a monumental bust of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, agriculture, and fertility, to commemorate NCEF’s impact. Blending Tuscan-Mediterranean influences with a contemporary design, Jensen collaborated with METHOD & CONCEPT master sculptor, Brett F. Harvey. Harvey incorporated local textures, such as Sea Grape branches, to help ground the work in the region it celebrates, creating a striking tribute to NCEF’s 25 years of service. Please be on the lookout throughout Naples for the 9 Bacchus sculptures.

Sommelier highlights! The Featured Sommeliers that will join us during the 2025 Naples Winter Wine Festival include Jacob Brown of Lazy Bear in San Francisco, California. Jacob began his beverage career as a ski bum bartender at a peanut bar in Park City, Utah, where he fell in love with hospitality and wine after taking his Introductory sommelier course. Swapping ski poles for cowboy boots, he moved to Austin, Texas, and worked every restaurant role, from dishwasher to beverage director, including at Counter 3. FIVE. VII and the Elm Group. Now in San Francisco as the beverage director of Lazy Bear, Jacob earned the 2024 Wine Spectator Grand Award. He's pursuing the Master Sommelier Diploma and, as a loyal Minnesota Vikings fan, still believes this is their year.

It’s ALL for the Kids! Today the Naples Winter Wine Festival has unveiled the first live auction lot items up for bid during the 2025 Festival. This year’s live auction features a number of exclusive wine, travel and culinary experiences that have never been offered before.? Among the first lots to be unveiled are: ?? A six-night journey through Geneva, Burgundy and Paris with exclusive tastings from the iconic Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. ?? An eight-night yachting voyage aboard the 122-foot Navilux, courtesy of Knights Bridge Winery. ?? A 15-night “World of Cuvée” adventure across Tuscany, Telluride and your choice of Hawaii or Los Cabos. ?? A bespoke five-night Paris fashion immersion with VIP access to Balmain, guided by fashion luminary Cameron Silver. Each auction lot supports the Festival’s mission to benefit children’s programs in the Naples community. Please click the link below to read the Full Press Release: https://lnkd.in/gKXKeBDr

NWWF25 Celebrity Chef highlights! Today we are featuring Emeril Lagasse of The Emeril Group in New Orleans, Louisiana. Emeril Lagasse is chef and owner of 10 restaurants, including four in New Orleans, two in Las Vegas, one in Florida, and three aboard Carnival cruise ships. A national TV personality, Lagasse has hosted over 2,000 shows, most recently debuting “Emeril Cooks” and “Emeril Tailgates” on The Roku Channel. His Amazon series "Eat the World" won an Emmy and was a James Beard semifinalist. He’s also a bestselling author of 19 cookbooks and has received numerous awards, including the James Beard Foundation’s “Humanitarian of the Year.” In 2002, he established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which has since donated $19.3 million to children's charities, supporting programs in culinary arts and healthy living. His New Orleans-based company, The Emeril Group, manages his culinary ventures and test kitchen.

Monday 11.04 NCEF would like to emphasize the importance family literacy programs play in empowering children and their families to overcome language barriers, improve literacy outcomes and achieve long-term success.? Children who come from non-English speaking homes often face significant challenges in their educational journey, particularly with literacy. When English is not the first language, and sometimes not spoken at all, these children are at a higher risk of falling behind their peers. Learning to read becomes an even more daunting task when a child struggles to understand or speak the language used in the classroom.? Programs like Grace Place Naples Bright Beginnings and Literacy Volunteers of Collier County's Children and Parents Reading Together (CPRT) play a crucial role in addressing these challenges. These programs aim to increase family literacy by actively involving parents in their children's education, thereby creating a supportive learning environment at home. Bright Beginnings focuses on early childhood education, equipping families with the skills needed to foster language development and school readiness. Similarly, CPRT emphasizes the importance of parental engagement by encouraging parents and children to read together, enhancing language skills and building a stronger educational foundation.

NWWF25 Celebrity Chef highlights! Today we are featuring Douglas Keane and Josh Gaulin of Cyrus in Geyserville, California. Douglas Keane, chef and co-owner of Michelin-starred Cyrus in Geyserville, CA, began his culinary journey in Michigan, helping his mother in the kitchen. A high school culinary class sparked his passion, leading him to pursue a degree at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration. However, Keane followed his heart into cooking, working in top kitchens like the Four Seasons and Lespinasse in NYC and with Traci Des Jardins in San Francisco before opening Cyrus. Keane's accolades include Two Michelin Stars, a James Beard Award and recognition in Gourmet Magazine’s “Top 50 Restaurants in America.” Josh, born in Richmond, VA, discovered his passion for the kitchen while working as a dishwasher in his teens. In 2012, he moved to California to learn from top chefs, working at renowned Bay Area restaurants like Quince, Michael Mina and The Restaurant at Meadowood. Most recently, he was executive pastry chef at Four Seasons Resort, Napa Valley. Now, he’s excited to join the Cyrus team and contribute to its revival in Alexander Valley.

The lineup of world-renowned vintners joining us during the #NWWF25 includes longtime NCEF supporters and founding Trustees Valerie Boyd & Jeff Gargiulo of Gargiulo Vineyards in Oakville, California. Valerie Boyd & Jeff Gargiulo, lifelong farmers, turned their passion for agriculture into a dream of creating a premier wine estate. Inspired by Valerie’s Napa Valley cousins, Belle and Barney Rhodes, they purchased their first Oakville vineyard, Money Road Ranch, in 1992, followed by 575 OVX in 1999. Committed to producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, the Gargiulos chose Oakville for its reputation as one of the best regions for the varietal. Their first vintage was in 2000, and today, Gargiulo Vineyards is recognized as a top producer of Cabernet Sauvignon, with their family continuing to pursue excellence.