Events!
Listed below is a very limited listing of events which focus on Pinot Noir. If you have any to add please send an email!
Thanks to Prince of Pinot for this information.
Pinot Festivals
Here is a list of the major Pinot Noir Festivals and other major events also pouring Pinot Noir. If you plan to attend, purchase your tickets early as many of these events sell out quickly. Check the festival websites for further information and sign up for the mailing list to receive advanced notification of ticket and registration availability.
January
Central Otago Pinot Noir Festival
Held in Queenstown, New Zealand three out of every four years, alternating
with the Pinot Noir festival held in Wellington. Begun in 1999, 200 people
attend this festival. Held in late January. Next festival is January 30-31,
2009. For information: www.pinotcelebration.co.nz.
Russian River Valley Winter Wineland
Two days of wine tasting, tours, education, and winemaker talks. Over 100
wineries participate. For information: www.wineroad.com.
February
Pinot Noir New Zealand
First begun in 2001, this festival draws winemakers and enthusiasts from all
over the world to Wellington, New Zealand. Tastings are held with 100 top
New Zealand Pinot Noir producers. Many world-wide wine luminaries attend.
It is expect to attract 500 attendees at the next event. For information:
http://www.pinotnoir2007.co.nz/Pinot-Noir-2010.
Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir Festival
This local festival in Melbourne, Australia attracts 150 people to celebrate
Pinot Noirs from around the world. Held in late February. For information:
www.mpva.com.
March
Pinot Noir Summit
Sponsored by Affairs of the Vine, this event began in 2002. Over 250 Pinot
Noirs from North America are evaluated by a diverse professional tasting
panel. The top 30 wines are then presented at a blind tasting at the California
Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California. Awards are given to the Pinot
Noirs voted the favorite by the tasting panel as well as the consumers who
attend the event. Seminars on Pinot Noir and dinner with the winemakers
are offered. 100 people attended last year. Held in early March. For information:
www.affairsofthevine.com.
Russian River Valley Barrel Tasting
Two weekends. Over 100 participating wineries. Taste from barrel and order
futures. Very popular and very crowded event. The first weekend of the Barrel
Tasting is also the Crab & Fennel Fest in the Russian River Valley.
For information: www.wineroad.com and http://rrvw.org/crab-fennel-fest/.
World of Pinot Noir
This annual 3 day Pinot Noir Festival is held in California's Central Coast
at The Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach. Seminars, tastings of over 120 different
Pinot Noir producers, and a Burgundy seminar featuring Alan Meadows, aka
Burghound. Held in early/middle March. Register at: www.wopn.com.
Pinot Paradise
This festival features the Pinot Noirs of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It is
held at The Mountain Winery (formerly the Paul Masson Winery) in Saratoga,
California. Over 30 wineries pour their Pinot Noirs along with an auction
and seminars. Over 900 people attended this year's festival. Held in late
March. For information: www.scmwa.com.
Pinot Plus
Sponsored by the Carneros Wine Alliance. Live and silent auction of unique
wines from Carneros including large lots and magnums. Many premium and ultra-premium
boutique and cult wines and wines from family-owned wineries. Proceeds benefit
the education, scholarship and training progrms of early stage wine and
food professionals. For information: www.pinotplus.com.
April
Dundee Hills Appellation Passport Tour
Winery open houses and vineyard seminars. For information: www.dundeehills.org.
Santa Barbara County Vintner's Festival
Held at River Park in Lompoc. Over 100 local wineries, food from top local
restaurants and caterers, live music. Sponsored by the Santa Barbara County
Vintner's Association. For information: www.sbcountywines.com.
May
Hospices of Sonoma Barrel Auction
This event is modeled after the Hospices de Beaune auction in Burgundy. Held
in early May. For tickets and further information: 707-823-9463, www.hospicesofsonoma.org.
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival
This festival is held annually in Philo, California, in the heart of the Anderson
Valley. Dating back to 1998, it is focused solely on Pinot Noir from the
Anderson Valley and attracts approximately 450 people. Lodging is limited
in the Anderson Valley so many attendees stay on the Mendocino Coast and
use a shuttle to the Festival. Held in mid-May. For information: www.avwines.com.
Carneros Heritage Fest
Last weekend in May. Chef competition, sheepherding and falconry demonstrations,
artisan exhibits, lamb BBQ with Carneros wines. For information: www.carneros.com.
Memorial Weekend in the Wine Country
Visit wineries in the Willamette Valley Friday thru Sunday that are rarely
open to the public. For information: www.willamettewines.com.
Paso Robles Wine Festival
Always 3rd weekend in May. For information: www.pasowine.com.
Santa Lucia Highlands Winegrower's Gala
Tasting of Santa Lucia Highlands wines with gourmet food pairings. For information:
www.santaluciahighlands.com.
June
FiddleFest
A celebration of the producers who source fruit from the 96-acre Fiddlestix
Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Saturday, June 19 at Fiddlestix Vineyard
($72.80). All wineries sourcing fruit from Fiddlestix Vineyard will be pouring
along with great eats from Hitching Post and some cool fiddling. For tickets:
www.fiddleheadcellars.com/events.
Marin County Pinot Noir Celebration
Marin County growers and wineries present their Pinot Noirs at the historic
Escalle Winery in Larkspur, Marin County, California. Held in June. Price
is $40 for everyone. For information and tickets: www.marinwines.com. Information
also at www.malt.org.
Pinot and Paella
The 4th Annual Pinot and Paella Cookoff will be held at the Templeton Community
Park in Templeton, California on June 8, 2008. 12 Paso Robles area Pinot
Noir producers will be pouring and 16 chefs will be cooking. Proceeds go
to the Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation. Tickets: 805-238-5825. www.pinotandpaella.com.
Sta. Rita Hills Open House Weekend
Vineyard and winery tours, winegrower dinners, golf. For information: www.staritahills.com.
Pinot Days
A very large event featuring Pinot Noir producers from California. Over 1500 people attended last year's inaugural celebration held at Ft. Mason, San Francisco, California. Held in late June. For information: www.pinotdays.com
Vintner's Festival in Santa Cruz Mountains
Wineries and restaurants offer wine tasting, food, music, art shows, and other
entertainment. Purchase glass at any festival location and the glass serves
your ticket to all of the festival sites. For information: www.scmwa.com
July
International Wine & Heart Health Summit
Held every two years in a different wine region. Next event in 2011. Physicians
and anyone interested in research on the health benefits of wine are cordially
invited. For information, visit: www.winesummit.com.
International Pinot Noir Celebration
2010 marks this festival's 24th year. Held on the beautiful campus of Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, the event is limited to 700 people. The lunches and dinners are extraordinary including the traditional northwest-style salmon bake. Besides numerous seminars, there are two large walk-around tastings of Pinot Noirs from all over the world. There are plenty of B&B type accommodations and small hotels in the area, but many attendees choose to stay on campus in the inexpensive students living quarters for convenience (walking distance to all events). Held last weekend in July. For information: www.ipnc.org.
Central Coast Wine Classic
Dinner at Hearst Castle, Paulee Dinner, educational and tasting symposia,
bicycle tour, wine and lifestyle auction. For information: www.centralcoastwineclassic.org.
August
Russian River Valley Grape to Glass
Third weekend in August. Winery and vineyard tours, educational tastings,
bike riding, kayaking the Russian River, ballooning over the vines. For
information: www.rrvw.org.
Wally's Central Coast Wine & Food Celebration
A one day tasting of wines from distinguished Central Coast wineries paired
with foods from some of Los Angeles' best restaurants. A benefit for the
Michael Bonaccorsi UC Davis Scholarship Foundation. For information: www.wallywine.com.
Winemaker's Celebration
Monterey Wine Country's annual event featuring over 45 wineries. Wine seminars,
wine tastings, foods, and auction. For information: www.montereywines.org.
September
Winesong!
Mendocino County's celebration of food, wine, art, travel, and giving. Tastings,
wine and lifestyle auction held on the Mendocino Coast. For information:
www.winesong.org.
October
Sonoma County Harvest Fair
First weekend in October. Sample the best Sonoma County wines and food at
the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 707-545-4203. For information: 707-545-4203
or http://www.sonomacountyfair.com/hf_home.php.
Pinot on the River
A three-day symposium begun in 2004 featuring technical seminars and tastings
of California Pinot Noirs Last year 85 people attended the festival held
in Sebastopol, California. Held in late October. For information: www.pinotfestival.com.
Harvest Wine
Tour Paso Robles. Held the third weekend in October. For information: www.pasowine.com.
November
Hospices de Beaune (Les Trois Giorieuses Burgundy Wine Festival)
Begun as a charity wine auction in 1859, it is now a three day festival celebrating
Burgundy's food and wines. Thousands attend the winery dinners and tasting.
Held in mid-November. For information: www.hospices-de-beaune.com/fr/hospices/index.php.
A Wine & Food Affair
First weekend in November. Wine and food pairing at over 70 Russian River
Valley wineries. For information: www.wineroad.com.
PinotFest
This is a classy tasting and dinner featuring top California Pinot Noir producers.
Started in 1999, it is held at the Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco,
California. Limited to 300 people, the event sells out every year. Held
in mid-November. For information: www.farallonrestaurant.com.
Salud
Oregon's Pinot Noir Auction. A weekend of wine, food, and fun to support efforts
to bring healthcare to seasonal vineyard workers and their families. For
information: www.saludauction.org.
The Great Wine Escape Weekend
Seminars, winemaker dinners, progressive dinner, wine country tours and open
houses in Monterey County wine region. For information: www.montereywines.com.
Wine Country Thanksgiving
A three day open house in the Willamette Valley of Oregon of wineries usually
not open to the public (also Memorial Day weekend - see May). For information:
www.willamettewines.com.
Vintner's Holidays at Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park
32 prominent California wineries participate in a series of eight sessions.
Dine with winemakers, winery owners and growers in each session, moderated
by some of the most respected wine authorities in the country. Two and three
night packages available. For information: www.YosemitePark.com/Vintners.