From a sub-Saharan retreat to a weeklong Italian adventure to a no-expense-spared excursion aboard a yacht in the Bahamas, these are the lots you don't want to miss this year.
La Dolce Vita
Two couples fly round-trip in business class to Italy for a seven-night trip hosted by Shari and Garen Staglin, the duo behind Rutherford Bench’s Staglin Family Vineyard. Start with two nights in a five-star hotel in Lake Como; the stay includes dinner overlooking the water at the candlelit Il Gatto Nero. Then, it’s off to Italy’s Piedmont for tours through wine country, white-truffle hunting and dinners curated around the winners’ preferences. You’ll spend three nights at Relais le Rocche with exclusive winery visits led by sommelier DLynn Proctor while surrounded by some of the best Barolo wines. You’ll top off the trip in Milan, with two evenings at Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa. Take your pick of insider tours of Duomo cathedral and Santa Maria delle Grazie convent (where Da Vinci’s The Last Supper resides). Visit the iconic Pomellato atelier for a chance to create a custom piece of jewelry—the ultimate souvenir.
This lot also includes:
Two (2) - 1.5 Liter Staglin Estate Stagliano Sangiovese 2017, etched
Two (2) - 1.5 Liter Staglin Estate Stagliano Sangiovese 2018, etched
Two (2) - 1.5 Liter Staglin Estate Stagliano Sangiovese 2019, etched
Getty Images
Sebastian Maniscalco
Million-dollar comedy
Forty couples enjoy an evening of comedy with best-selling author, actor and comedian Sebastian Maniscalco at The Club Room at Campiello in Naples. The lot, redeemable this fall, gets attendees a rare opportunity to get up close with Maniscalco, who has set records for sold-out arena shows across the country and seldom performs in small venues. The evening’s refreshments include passed hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and wine. For $25,000 per couple, you can be part of NCEF’s mission to provide essential services for our neediest children—and get some good laughs in the process.
Dana Allen
Shumba_2014-09-26
Sub-Saharan Retreat
This round-trip jaunt takes two couples deep into the wilderness, with daily safaris and all food and drink included at the hotels. The 11-day, 10-night adventure is split between South Africa and Zambia.
You’ll stay for three nights in a plush, modern suite at Singita Sweni Lodge in South Africa before decamping to the tree-shrouded luxury tents at Toka Leya on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls. If you’re visiting between June and October, you’ll then fly north to Zambia, where you stay at Shumba Camp and learn about lions at Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary.
Visitors traveling in June, September or October, stay at the luxurious Linkwasha Camp, where you’ll drive through the camp to spot big game. The trip wraps with a helicopter ride to Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe, which has lions, elephants and more than 240 bird species. Ther e, lifetime trustee Dave Gibbons has set up a behind-the-scenes experience with an African Parks ranger to learn about the park’s rehabilitation efforts and protecting endangered animals.
Bentley
Bentley Kingdom
One of this year’s coveted car lots comes with a bonus trip. But first, the winning wheels: Bidders swoon for the 2023 Bentley Bentayga EWB Azure with an extended wheelbase that adds extra legroom for backseat riders. The in-house Mulliner design team dresses up the ride to include sleek black and white interiors with pops of amethyst on diamond-quilted seats and bespoke Naples Winter Wine Festival treadplates.
The winning couple also embarks on a seven-day, six-night road trip through the United Kingdom, with a driver at your beck and call. The grand tour kicks off with two days in London, where you’ll stay at The Lanesborough—a short drive from posh shopping districts, like Sloane Street and Knightsbridge. Then, you head to the Bentley Crewe factory and CW1 House in Cheshire for a private dinner on the factory line and a night’s stay at the country estate Carden Park. Whiskey lovers take note: you’ll also be treated to a plush lunch and dinner experience at the storied The Macallan Estate distillery during your trip. From there, expect to cruise around the U.K. in style, as the Bentley team curates a top-notch series of luxury stays and experiences in other Brit cities before you bid the country cheerio.
Yacht
Yacht Life
Three adventurous couples take a private jet to board the 164-foot Ocean Club yacht for a no-expense-spared, six-night Bahama excursion. Sink your toes into the rose-colored sand on Harbor and Eleuthera Islands and meet the resident beach-loving pigs and iguanas on Exuma Island. Snorkel through the underwater caves at Thunderball Grotto, then cruise through the crystalline surface on waverunners, boats or kayaks. There’s also a three-story waterslide for the young at heart. Settle down onboard each night with meals planned by the yacht owners and prepared by the private chef.
Sunset Dinner
California Dreamin’
Whisk your partner from coast to coast on a five-day getaway to the Golden State. Start your trip in the heart of Napa Valley for a two-day, two-night stay at the 712-acre Stanly Ranch vineyard resort. Explore one of the world’s premier wine regions with a pass to visit Darioush and three other wine estates in the area. Toast your trip with two wine-paired dinners, including a meal at the three Michelin-starred The French Laundry. Then, board a semi-private flight south to the City of Angels, where you’re awarded a three-day, two-night stay with upscale accommodations. Don your best as you step into the spotlight with an invitation to the Chopard Academy Award Suite to get a view of the jeweler’s Red Carpet high jewelry collection before the Oscars. A gracious host, Chopard treats you to a wine-soaked dinner with Darioush vinos. To round out your day of hobnobbing with the stars, glide over to the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Viewing Party. Round-trip business-class airfare and all ground transportation included.
This lot also includes:
One (1) – 1.5 Liter Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
One (1) – 1.5 Liter Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
One (1) – 1.5 Liter Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
One (1) – 1.5 Liter Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
One (1) – 1.5 Liter Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
One (1) – 1.5 Liter Darioush Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Carolyn Wells-Kramer
DSC_0266
Royal Treatment
Jet off for a six-night tour through one of France’s most acclaimed wine regions: Burgundy. Four people retire to Domaine Evenstad’s newly renovated Grande Maison, in the center square of Santenay-Bas, for three nights. Venture through Côte de Beaune to Grace Evanstad’s Domaine Serene 15th-century Château de la Crée. Embark on a tour, starting with barrel tastings in the Domaine Evenstad winery and lunch in the surrounding vineyards, followed by a private, guided visit of Hospices de Beaune (a historic site with gorgeous Gothic architecture), a wine lunch in the private dining room of Château du Clos de Vougeot and dinner at three Michelin-starred Maison Lameloise. The trip includes various experiences depending on your time slot (plan to go in September for a hands-on harvest). Winners also take home an assortment of Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines from the first vintage produced under the Domaine Evenstad label, including bottles signed by Grace Evenstad from Grand Cru vineyards, Bonnes Mares and Clos Vougeot.
This lot also includes:
Four (4) – 1.5 Liter Château de la Crée, Santenay Premier Cru Clos Faubard Pinot Noir 2015
Four (4) – 1.5 Liter Maison Evenstad Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Fleurières-Les Plantes Au Baron Pinot Noir 2016
Twelve (12) – 750ml assorted bottles of Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines from the first vintage of wine produced under the Domaine Evenstad label, including bottles signed by Grace Evenstad from the renowned Grand Cru vineyards, Bonnes-Mares and Clos Vougeot
Grand Slam
Two lucky couples win a golf lover’s dream; tickets to the world’s oldest golf tournament, The British Open, during a 10-night trip to London and Ireland. At the first stop, in Ireland, you’re greeted by a flock of horses and hounds at the stately Adare Manor, where you’ll stay for three nights with spa packages, rounds on the greens and excursions in the surrounding towns. After trekking across the Cliffs of Moher and cruising Lough Derg by private motor yacht, it’s off to the 1826 mansion-turned-inn 2 Blackburne Terrace in Liverpool for three nights. The highlight of the trip may just be your private, upper-level balcony seats at The Open with coveted Engravers Hospitality tickets, overlooking the 16th hole, with flowing Champagne and canapés. Enjoy four-course lunches and afternoon tea throughout the weekend event before settling into your suite at the countryside Cliveden House in Berkshire, where NWWF auctioneer Humphrey Butler orchestrates delightful experiences, including watching a Changing of the Guard ceremony at Wellington Barracks and dinners at the Michelin-starred Cliveden.