Did you know?
The Pinot family of wine grapes is named after the pinecone shape of the grape clusters.

 

Tastings and Events

World of Pinot Noir

Every March in Shell Beach, CA. Tastings, hanging out, and seminars with celebs like John Haeger, noted author of North American Pinot Noir,  a superbly readable masterwork on the grape and those lunatics among us who love it madly. http://www.worldofpinotnoir.com/events.fsp?aname=events

IPNC

Every July  the  International Pinot Noir Celebration in the Willamette Valley offers three days of seminars, tastings, tours and one-of-a-kind meals with sixty international Pinot noir winemakers from Oregon, Burgundy and New Zealand. Highly recommended. http://www.ipnc.org/2007/dvd.php

 

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival

Great Pinot territory! This festival is held annually in Philo, California, in the heart of the Anderson Valley, attracts approximately 450 people. Next festival: May 19-21, 2006. For information: www.avwines.com.

PinotFest

This  tasting and dinner features top California Pinot Noir producers, held at the Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco, California. Limited to 300 people, the event sells out every year. Next festival: Nov 17-18, 2006.
http://www.farallon restaurant.com.

 

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. Next festival: Oct 27-29, 2006.
http://www.pinotfestival.com.

Pinot Noir 2007

Winemakers and enthusiasts from all over the world travel to Wellington, New Zealand. Tastings are held with 100 top New Zealand Pinot Noir producers.  Next festival: Jan 29-Feb 2, 2007.
http://www.pinotnoir2007.co.nz.

Event Calendar

Greg Walter’s PinotReport publishes a full calendar of upcoming Pinot Noir events, among many other items and reviews. http://www.pinotreport.com/

Pinot Noir Shootout

Every February, in San Francisco, Pinots from around the world complete in a bind tasting; you get to taste blind and vote. Great fun, and a terrific learning experience. http://www.affairsofthevine.com/pn_summit.html

Pinot Days

In New York and San Francisco, twice yearly. Pinot Days brings together Pinot producers representing every California appellation, style and price point, as well as a few from Oregon and Burgundy. http://www.pinotdays.com/

 

Local Wine Events

Eric Orange  includes much more than Pinot, like 96,015 wine events since 2000, but any Pinot Noir events in  your ‘hood will show up  here, and he’ll email you in advance. http://www.localwineevents.com/

 

History

Uncork

Even though the grape and Australia are barely on speaking terms( though all that could change) , leave it to the Aussies to take us on  a short, friendly stroll through the grape’s long acquaintance with  European palates, since the 1st Century A.D. http://uncork.com.biz/tidbits13.htm

Professional  Friends of Wine

Informative, but needs some serious revamping to bring it up to date on the rise of domestic Pinot Noir from so-so-to superb. Where you been, fellas? http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/pinot.htm#top

A Big Slice (Life’s a banquet)

Even the famed Musketeers were required to tip their hats when passing the illustrious vineyards of Burgundy, we learn—and more. http://www.abigslice.com/pinotnoirmain.html