Copious wine, food and fun set the tone for Naples Winter Wine Festival’s 24th annual auction on Saturday at The Ritz-Carlton, Tiburon.
A veritable who’s who of world-class vintners, celebrity chefs and the names to know in Naples were all spotted under the tents.
The first famous gent spotted was Ray Isle, “Food & Wine” magazine’s executive wine editor and author of the new book “The World in a Wine Glass.”
Doing double duty as a guest of Knights Bridge’s vintner Kelley Bailey, he’s also part of the Festival’s online auction, teaming with actor Kyle MacLaughlan on lot 302 ’s dinner at Kolomon in New York City.
The package is a four-course wine-pairing dinner prepared by participating Festival chef Markus Gloker.
The wines? From Isle’s famous cellar plus vintages from the “Sex and the City” star’s Pursued by Bear winery.
That lot is currently at $3,700, but there’s still time for readers to bid because the online auction closes Tuesday at 5 p.m.
The buzz
Skipping last year’s event, well-known philanthropists Patty and Jay Baker (The Baker Museum, Downtown Baker Hospital) were also in the crowd this year, supporting their friends ‒ and 2024 Festival chairs ‒ Shelly and Ralph Stayer.