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Colgin couldn't make the trade, however. She didn't have any wine available to give the Mercedes owner. That's because the annual production of this wine usually runs about 300 cases and there are more than 4,000 people waiting to get on the mailing list , which is now closed , to get hold of one of them. In addition to enjoying terrific wine, the owner of the Mercedes wouldn't have fared too badly on a monetary basis in the long term. About four years ago, a case of the 1994 Colgin sold for $16,100, a record price for a California wine at a commercial auction at the time. It's no doubt worth much more today. Colgin will be in Naples next weekend to act as the auctioneer for the second annual Winter Wine Festival at the Ritz Carlton at Tiburon. Not only does Colgin run her Napa Valley, Calif. winery, but she also serves as a consultant for Sotheby's Wine Department. Last year, the Festival raised $2.2 million for the two principal charities of its Naples Children and Education Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County and Youth Haven. The Festival's $2.9 million in gross bids for lots of wine and other luxury items made it the second highest grossing charity wine auction in the country in just its first year. Colgin says this accomplishment is "totally remarkable. They really know how to throw a party." As an auctioneer, Colgin says she has "never been involved in an event where there has been so much excitement in the (auction) tent and so many bidders. When you look at most charity events, there are a small percentage of buyers compared to the whole event. Naples was really smart in getting the right people to come to the event, limiting the numbers so the tent wasn't completely filled with people who just came to party." Colgin adds that the people are so "generous in Naples that they all got on the band wagon last year and bid those lots up to huge levels. The reason people are spending so much money at this event is because it's for children." About 450 people are expected to attend the celebrity vintner/chef dinners held Friday at the homes of the 18 Naples families who founded the event. Among the vintners are names like Dick Grace of Grace Family Vineyards and Jean Phillips of Screaming Eagle; the celebrity chefs include such names as Thomas Keller of The French Laundry, Norman van Aken of Norman's, Coral Gable; The auction will follow on Saturday with 67 lots up for auction that include the world's finest wines, and luxury trips, dinners and cars. A $5,000 donation is required to participate in the event. One of those lots is a 1992-1997 vertical magnum collection of Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon. Last November, a 1992-1997 vertical of the regular .750 liter size bottles was auctioned in London for $5,100. It is expected that the vertical magnum collection offered at the Winter Wine Festival will go for anywhere from four to 10 times that amount. Colgin is no stranger to the Naples area. An avid arts and antiques enthusiast, Colgin was president of a local fine arts company from 1985 to 1997. Born in Waco, Tex., Colgin earned her undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University and received her Masters of Arts from New York University. She also completed the Sotheby's Decorative Works of Art Course in London, England. She founded Colgin Cellars in 1992. Colgin's first vintages were made by famed Napa Valley wine consultant Helen Turley. In 1999, Mark Aubert, who made his reputation at the Peter Michael Winery in California's Sonoma County, took over for Turley, who had consulting commitments at other wineries. "I wanted a winemaker who would be very focused on my particular project," says Colgin in explaining the change of winemakers.