Naples Winter Wine Festival announces lineup of featured chefs, vintners for 2019

Five months after announcing its theme for the 2019 Naples Winter Wine Festival, organizers this week unveiled its lineup of world-famous chefs, vintners and master sommeliers for the signature event.

That includes the coveted spots for the festival's Chef de Cuisine — Chef Richard Reddington of REDD and Reddwood — and the honored vintners — Daphne and Bart Araujo of Accendo Cellars.

Both are coming from Napa Valley, California, and both are considered at the top of their crafts.

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The three-day Naples Winter Wine Festival, which has repeatedly earned the title of top charity wine auction in the country, combines the best of wine and food, with renowned chefs, rare bottles of wine and a live auction in which guests can bid on luxury cars and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

Proceeds benefit services for underprivileged and at-risk children in Collier County through the Naples Children & Education Foundation. The festival last year collected more than $15.1 million for NCEF’s grants and strategic initiatives.

Next year's 19th annual festival, which is themed "Joy to the World," is scheduled for Jan. 25 through 27.

Reddington, a James Beard Foundation Award nominee, is making a return to the Naples Winter Wine Festival this January.

“The Naples Winter Wine Festival is an iconic culinary and wine event and it’s a great honor to be chosen as the Chef de Cuisine this year,” Reddington said in a statement. “This event holds a very special place in my heart and I’m thrilled to be back for my eighth festival.”

Haute Living magazine reported that in his 28-year culinary career, Reddington has also worked alongside celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, who has headlined the Naples Winter Wine Festival as Chef de Cuisine three times.

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The Araujos, meanwhile, founded Accendo Cellars in 2013, where they are making wine inspired by the revolutionary Napa Valley wines of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Before that, they owned Eisele Vineyard for 25 years, according to Wine Spectator magazine.

Reddington and the Araujos will team up alongside 50 other chefs and vintners flying in from cities around the world to kick off the festival with a Meet the Kid's Day, in which participants get a chance to see how funds impact local nonprofit groups, and with 18 vintner dinners in private homes and settings throughout Naples.

Meet the Kid's Day will feature four vintners:

• Ann and Dick Grace of Grace Family Vineyards in St. Helena, California
• Kevin Kinsella of Kinsella Estates in Sonoma, California
• Larry Stone of Lingua Franca in Salem, Oregon
• Samantha and Patrice Breton of Vice Versa Wines  in St. Helena, California

The lineup of chefs at next year's vintner dinners include:

• Cassidee Dabney of The Barn at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee
• Richard Reddington of REDD and Redd Wood in Yountville, California
• Tom Colicchio of Crafted Hospitality in New York, New York
• Angelo Auriana of Officine Brera in Los Angeles, California
• Jennifer Jasinski of Rioja in Denver, Colorado
• Thierry Rautureau of Luc/Loulay in Seattle, Washington
• Nancy Oakes of Boulevard Restaurant in San Francisco, California
• Rogan Lechthaler of The Downtown Grocery in Ludlow, Vermont
• Dustin Valette of Valette in Healdsburg, California
• Charlie Palmer of Aureole in New York, New York
• Donald Link of Herbsaint in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Markus Glocker of Bâtard in New York, New York
• Bill Telepan of Oceana Restaurant in New York, New York
• John Tesar of Knife at The Highland in Dallas, Texas
• Vitaly Paley of Paley Hospitality Group in Portland, Oregon
• Mike Lata and Jason Stanhope of FIG in Charleston, South Carolina
• Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde Restaurant in Chicago, Illinois
• Joseph Lenn of JC Holdway in Knoxville, Tennessee

The lineup of vintners are:

• Daphne and Bart Araujo of Accendo Cellars in Napa, California
• Tim Mondavi of Continuum in St. Helena, California
• Carlo Mondavi of RAEN Winery in Sonoma, California
• Cinzia Merli of Le Macchiole in Bolgheri, Italy
• Beth Novak Milliken of Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery in St. Helena, California
• Rotem and Mounir Saouma of Lucien Le Moine in Beaune, France
• David Duncan of OVID in ST. Helena, California
• Cliff Lede of Cliff Lede Vineyards in Napa, California
• Shari and Garen Staglin of Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford, California
• Jim Bailey of Knights Bridge Winery in Calistoga, California
• Barbara Banke of Gran Moraine Vineyard in Yamhill, Oregon and Zena Crown Vineyard in Salem, Oregon
• The Miller Family of Bien Nacido and Solomon Hills Estates in Santa Maria, California
• PierFilippo Abbruzzese of Valdicava in Montalcino, Italy
• Shahpar and Darioush Khaledi of Darioush in Napa, California
• Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi in Greve in Chianti, Italy
• Valerie Boyd and Jeff Gargiulo of Gargiulo Vineyards in Oakville, California
• Jean-Charles Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac, France
• Elisabetta Gnudi of Borgo Scopeto & Caparzo in Montalcino, Italy
• Naoko and Maya Dalla Valle of Dalla Valle Vineyards in Oakville, California
• Lucas Löwi of Bodega Numanthia in Valdefinjas, Spain
• Matt Hobbs of Paul Hobbs Wines in Sebastopol, California
• Nicholas Allen of Carte Blanche Wine in Napa, California
• Roberta Ceretto of Ceretto in Alba, Italy
• Grace and Ken Evenstad of Domaine Serene in Dayton, Oregon and Château de la Crée in Burgundy, France
• Véronique Drouhin-Boss of Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, France and Domaine
• Drouhin Oregon in Dundee, Oregon
• Olivier Krug of Krug Champagne in Reims, France
• David Pearson of Opus One Winery in Oakville, California
• Dimitri Augenblick of Cos d’Estournel in Saint- Estèphe, France
• Salvatore Ferragamo of Il Borro in San Giustino, Italy
   

Visit napleswinefestival.com for more information.