On February 27th, the popular wine-themed gala, Napa in Newport, is actually in Laguna Beach’s other backyard at the St. Regis in Monarch Beach. And this year, it’s bigger and better than ever!
Napa in Newport is the brainchild of the non-profit organization, Cure Duchenne. A fatal genetic disease, Duchenne is one of nine forms of Muscular Dystrophy that primarily affects young boys, most of whom begin suffering its debilitating muscle degeneration in their toddler years. At least 20,000 boys – and yes, some girls, too – suffer with DMD in the United States, with more than 300,000 affected worldwide.
Until just a few years ago, boys with Duchenne rarely lived into their 20s. Advances in medicine have been slowly coming along, though, and this year could see the first FDA-approved treatment to help more young men live longer, healthier lives.
Last year, Napa in Newport, the first wine-themed gala idea for the Cure Duchenne group, proved a fantastic way to raise tens of thousands of dollars toward this cause as it showcased more than 40 vintners (in person!) in wine tastings, a wine-paired dinner and silent and live auctions.
Not Your Average, Run-of-the-Mill Wines
Attendees on Feb. 27th will be experiencing some unbelievable wine rarities. One of my favorites, Darioush Winery, leads the charge with Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi acting as honorary co-chairs of the event. From there, the vintner participant list reads like a restaurant wine list dream, with Faut Main, Joseph Phelps, Qunitessa, Amici, PlumpJack, Redmon and more coming to the table.
The table, itself, will feature multiple paired courses from our own Chef Azmin Ghahreman of Sapphire Laguna. Chef is focusing this year’s efforts on a true farm-to-table experience with the freshest organic ingredients at every turn. No doubt, he will be creating a memorable masterpiece as he is known to do.
The Napa in Newport tasting showcase and dinner are bookended by silent and live auctions that play into the same, high-level wine theme. It is a supreme evening for wine aficionados … and normal people like me who simply like great wine.
Individual tickets for the event are $500, and some sponsorships are still available, too. Purchase tickets online at NapainNewport.org