Deidre Woollard served as the lead editor on Luxist.com for…
PIN IT
One of this year’s top wine-centered lots might just be the most unusual coffee table you’ve seen. A complete vertical of 65 bottles of the highly valued Château Mouton Rothschild are displayed in a custom-made table fromThomas Riley Artisans’ Guild custom-made table. The lot features one bottle each: 1945-2009 as well as the entire collection of Mouton’s Artist Label series, including labels designed by Dali, Miro, Chagall, Picasso, Warhol and Charles Prince of Wales.
PIN IT
A Hollywood-and-vine lot includes four tickets to the finale of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” in Los Angeles and dinner with Ann Colgin and Joe Wender of Colgin Cellars at their Bel Air home, where professional dancers from the show will offer private dance lessons. The lot also includes rare reds: 3L 2003 Colgin Cellars IX Estate Napa Valley Red Wine and 3L 2003 Colgin Cellars Cariad Napa Valley Red Wine.
For those that have time to really indulge there is a month-long, Napa Valley immersion. Two people stay at the private, three-bedroom farmhouse at renowned Poetry Vineyard and have use of vintner Cliff Lede’s Porsche 911 convertible for one month. The month of food and wine bliss will include dinner hosted by Cliff Lede at his art-filled residence, with wines from his personal wine cellar; 30 bottles of famed Napa Valley wine selected by Cliff Lede Vineyard’s Master Sommelier Jennifer Huether; access to the Cliff Lede Vineyards’ concierge team; dinner at The French Laundry with wine pairings by the sommelier; private cooking class with Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen; and four private tours and tastings at some of Napa’s top properties.
Port lovers will want to bid on a lot that includes a visit to Symington’s aging cellars in Oporto along with lunch with family members, and two nights private accommodations at one of Symington’s vineyard properties in the Douro Valley in Portugal for two couples, with a private tour and tasting.The lot also includes massive imperial bottles: 9L 2007 Graham’s Vintage Port, 9L 2007 Dow’s Vintage Port, 9L 2007 Warre’s Vintage Port. Other vintages include eight 750ml Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port from years between 1989 and 1997 and a case of 750ml 100 Years of Vintage Port – a bottle from each decade from the 1920s to 2007.
Ever wanted to dine with William Shatner? One lot features dinner with the legend at the home of Domaine Serene winery proprietors Ken and Grace Evenstad in the Dundee Hills of Oregon. Private experiences include a VIP winery tour and special tasting in the dining cave, and a VIP tour of the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum to see the legendary Spruce Goose and step inside the cockpit – something not offered to museum visitors.
If you’ve have ever dreamed of owning a winery, an Argentine lot awards one couple instant ownership of 2.5 acres of O. Fournier vineyard property within the winery’s Santa Sofia Estate in Mendoza, Argentina. Included are six nights of luxury accommodations in Argentina: two nights in Buenos Aires, a night in Mendoza and three nights at the O. Fournier guesthouse.
PIN IT
Festival events span three days, beginning with Meet the Kids Day, during which guests interact with children who have benefited from festival proceeds. Other events include dinners prepared by famous chefs at private homes of trustees and supporters, with wines selected and poured by renowned vintners and top sommeliers. A wine-down party that evening and brunch the next day finish out the festival.
Festival ticket packages are $8,500 per couple; $20,000 for reserved seating at the same vintner dinner for two couples. For more information about the Naples Winter Wine Festival, visit www.napleswinefestival.com or call 888-837-4919.
Deidre Woollard served as the lead editor on Luxist.com for six years writing about real estate, auctions, jewelry and luxury goods. Her love for luxury real estate led her to work at realtor.com and two of the top real estate brokerages in Los Angeles as well as doing publicity for properties around the world.