A Decade of Distinction: Napa in Newport Celebrates 10 Years of Wine, Culinary Excellence, and Philanthropy

Southern California’s Premier Wine Event Brings Together Acclaimed Napa Valley Vintners   
Under One Roof to Raise Funds for CureDuchenne   

NEWPORT BEACH Calif., March 8, 2024 – Marking a significant milestone, Napa in Newport benefiting CureDuchenne will commemorate its 10th anniversary on April 20, 2024, at the luxurious Pendry Newport Beach. Esteemed for its unparalleled selection of Napa Valley’s finest wines, this year’s gala is a celebration of a decade-long journey of philanthropy, community, and exquisite wine. The gala showcases a Grand Tasting, dining tables hosted by vintners, a handcrafted dinner with carefully selected wine pairings, and extraordinary auction items including rare wines, luxurious vacations, and one-of-a-kind experiences. The evening is set to be more intimate than ever before, with limited attendance and new, luxurious weekend ticket packages that include hotel accommodations and amenities. 

Napa in Newport has become Southern California’s quintessential wine event, blending the prestige of Napa Valley with the passionate pursuit of a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic neuromuscular disease. The journey to this prestigious gala began serendipitously when Paul and Debra Miller, founders of CureDuchenne and parents of a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, attended Auction Napa Valley, the wine growing region’s extravagant annual wine auction. There, a chance encounter with Vineyard 29 proprietors Chuck and Anne McMinn sparked the idea of bringing the best of Napa to Newport Beach, CA for a charity event. This idea rapidly transformed into reality with the inaugural Napa in Newport in 2015, featuring 29 vintners and eventually growing to include 43 of the most prestigious Napa wineries, solidifying its reputation for offering an unmatched collection of high-quality, limited-production wines. 

The event benefits CureDuchenne, a global leader in research, patient care and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those living with Duchenne, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy. It affects roughly 1 in 5,000 male births and is 100% fatal. To date, Napa in Newport has helped raise more than $10.6 million for CureDuchenne.  

The 10th anniversary Napa in Newport promises an exclusive experience with meticulously selected vintners, including the distinguished Alpha Omega Winery as the Honorary Vintner Chair, and a gourmet dinner curated by Chef Charles Phan, Executive Chef and Founder of Slanted Door. CureDuchenne will also honor Douglas S. Ingram, president and Chief  Executive Officer of Sarepta Therapeutics, for his dedication to advancing treatments and support for individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Sarepta Therapeutics has four FDA-approved therapies including the only gene therapy for Duchenne.  

Debra Miller, founder and CEO of CureDuchenne, shared her reflections: “Over the past decade, Napa in Newport has not just been an event; it’s been a movement that has had tremendous impact. CureDuchenne has leveraged the funds raised at Napa in Newport, more than $10.6M, to make strategic investments in promising research and significantly drive scientific progress. There is more hope and progress toward a cure than ever before, including the first gene therapy for Duchenne developed by Sarepta Therapeutics and approved by the FDA, and multiple treatments with potential to delay progression of the disease in the FDA drug approval pipeline. But we’re not done until everyone with Duchenne has a transformative treatment. This anniversary celebrates hope, progress, and the unwavering dedication of our community toward finding a cure for all.” 

Alpha Omega is a certified sustainable winery that farms prized grapes from its estate and many of Napa Valley’s most historic vineyards, producing world class wines utilizing a combination of traditional handcrafted techniques and modern technology. 

“Celebrating ten years of Napa in Newport is a testament to the collective spirit of the Napa Valley vintners and our shared commitment to Cure Duchenne’s important cause. It’s an honor to contribute to a future where Duchenne muscular dystrophy is not only treatable but curable,” shared Robin and Michelle Baggett. 

Chef Charles Phan has been a leader in modern Vietnamese cuisine in America and is Executive Chef and Owner of the Slanted Door family of restaurants. Phan is known for combining Western and Vietnamese ingredients in breakthrough ways and was recognized as “Best Chef: California” by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. His ambitious spirit continues to drive him with the recent opening of two new locations, Slanted Door Napa and his first international venture, Slanted Door Beaune, France. Phan has received numerous nominations and awards. Notably, in 2014 The Slanted Door was recognized by the James Beard Foundation as an “Outstanding Restaurant in America.” His books won the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Cookbook Award for Chefs and Restaurants and for Photography. 

Chef Phan commented, “I’m honored to be a part of Napa in Newport’s 10th anniversary, a milestone event that combines the art of fine dining with the spirit of giving. Crafting the evening’s menu, I’m inspired by the unity of community and cuisine, aiming to create dishes that not only delight the palate but also resonate with the cause we’re all gathered here to support. It’s a celebration of how food and wine can bring us together to make a meaningful difference in the fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy.”  

Event sponsors include Porsche Newport Beach, Porsche Irvine, South Coast Plaza, MWA Luxury, and Caviar Company. 

Limited sponsorships and tickets are available. The event’s silent auction will be online and open for public bidding. For more information on tickets, sponsorships, participating vintners, and silent auction, please visit www.napainnewport.org.   

About CureDuchenne    
Over twenty years ago, CureDuchenne was created with one goal: to find and fund a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of the most common and severe forms of muscular dystrophy. Today, CureDuchenne is recognized as a global leader in research, patient care, and innovation for improving and extending the lives of those with Duchenne. CureDuchenne’s innovative venture philanthropy model has advanced transformative treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including 18 projects that advanced to human clinical trials and multiple projects to overcome the limitations of exon-skipping and gene therapy. In addition, CureDuchenne contributed early funding to the first FDA-approved Duchenne drug, pioneered the first and only Duchenne physical and occupational therapist certification program and created an innovative biobank and data registry, accelerating research toward a cure. For more information on how to help raise awareness and funds needed for research, please visit cureduchenne.org.  

# # #