Burgundy and Pinot Noir Events
From time to time we feature important wine events. If you have such an event and would like to see it listed here, please contact Erica Meadows at MrsBurghound@aol.com.Here is a list of major Pinot events and festivals. If you plan to attend, purchase your tickets early as many of these events sell out quickly. Check the websites listed below 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. 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.
Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir Festival
Hosted by the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association (MPVA) both Old and New World pinot noirs from around the world are celebrated at this biennial event. Two days on the lovely Mornington Peninsula, with Cellar Dinners and a Grand Banquet Finalé offers the chance to explore pinot noir and its sense of place; only 90 minutes south of Melbourne Australia. For information visit www.mpva.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.
Annual Pinot Noir Summit, San Rafael, California
Held in late February and sells out every year – only 250 tickets! Choose either the evening program or the entire day to be fully immersed in pinot noir including a blind tasting of 40 top pinots in educational workshops. The evening includes a grand tasting with over 100 wines and an array of food with the chance to meet the winemakers. For more information, visit www.pinotnoirsummit.com.
March
La Paulée de New York
The Burgundy celebration La Paulée de New York, held in late February/early March of each year, pays homage to La Paulée de Meursault, a convivial Burgundian fête shared by growers and their guests. At La Paulée de New York guests will sample current releases and older vintages from over twenty of the most sought after Domaines of Burgundy. The wine service will be led by fifty of our nation's most noted sommeliers. Our Chef D'Honneur, Daniel Boulud, will welcome other leading chefs to collaborate on an unforgettable menu. For more information and to order tickets, visit lapaulee.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
Corks & Forks
This annual 4-day weekend of food and wine is held in Sarasota, Florida and includes intimate vintner dinners, a sunset party on the bay, interactive food and wine seminars and The Grand Tasting in the courtyard of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art with culinary creations from Sarasota-Manatee Originals restaurants, live entertainment and a charity wine auction. www.freshoriginals.com/forksandcorks.
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 Galat
Tasting of Santa Lucia Highlands wines with gourmet food pairings. For information: www.santaluciahighlands.com.
June
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. For information and tickets: www.marinwines.com. Information also at www.malt.org.
Pinot and Paella
This Annual Pinot and Paella Cookoff is held at the Templeton Community Park in Templeton, California. Paso Robles area Pinot Noir producers pour and multiple chefs cook. 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 Pinot Noir Celebration
A tradition for more than two decades. Held on the beautiful campus of Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, the event is limited to 600 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 in late 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
Tanglewood Wine & Food Classic
Since 2002 this event has been held in early August in Lenox, MA. ÊA long list of food and wine tastings, seminars and events are held throughout the weekend. http://tmc.bso.org/wine/wine/home.htm.
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.
Investigating Pinot Noir – near Cape Town – September 19, 2009
One of South Africa's largest comparative tastings. An exploration of pinot noir of the maritime Hemel-en-Aarde region alongside other cool climate pinot noirs of Elgin, New Zealand and Burgundy provides a global context. The tasting is the brainchild of Sommelier Jörg Pfützner and is supported by the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Growers Association in an attempt to raise an awareness of the standard of cool climate pinot noirs of South Africa. For further information e-mail info@riesling.co.za.
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.
Multiple Months
Napa Valley Mustard Festival
Many seasonal wine country events. For information: www.mustardfestival.org.
Passport Program - Santa Cruz Mountains
Purchase a passport to Santa Cruz Mountain wineries,
many of which are not open to the public at any other time.
The 3rd Saturday in January, April, July, and November. For information:
www.scmwa.com
Our thanks to Rusty, www.princeofpinot.com , for providing much of the above information on events. If you have additional events to submit, please forward to Mrsburghound@aol.com.