Pinot Noir Events to Stroke Your Passion
Santa Barbara County Vintner’s Festival This annual event will be held on Saturday, April 19th,
2008 at River Park in Lompoc, 1-4 PM. Over 100 local wineries, artisan foods from local restaurants
and caterers, live music, plenty of Pinot. Tickets are $75, $89 at door. A Vintner’s Visa may be purchased
which is valid Festival weekend for 12 of your favorite wineries and includes tasting fees: $35.
To purchase tickets or for more information visit www.sbcountywines.com or call 805-688-0881.
Pinot Plus Trade Auction The Second Annual Pinot Plus
Auction will be held on March 29, 2008 at The Carneros Inn
in Napa, CA. Sponsored by the Carneros Wine Alliance, the
auction features a group of unique and rare lots featuring
never-before winery and vineyard partnerships and magnums
from non-resident Carneros-label star winemakers.
Magnums offered in the Silent Auction include those from
Kistler Vineyards (I have NEVER seen a magnum from Kistler), HdV, Ramey Wine Cellars, Shafer Vineyards,
Laird Family Vineyards, Provenance, Charles Creek Vineyard, Steele Wines, Benziger Family
Winery, Nickle and Nickle, and Neyers Vineyard among others. Additional lots include a special lot of
Cuvaison Pinot Noir Block 8 from its Carneros Estate Vineyard Calera clone grapes, one of only ten
available 3-liter bottles of ZD Wines Reserve Pinot Noir, a barrel selected Pinot Noir from MacRostie
Winery’s Wildcat Mountain Vineyard’s Saddle Block, and 18 magnums of 2007 Pinot Noir from the
Donum Estate blocks including East Slope, West Slope, and Ferguson. The Michael Mondavi family
will introduce its Hangtime Carneros Gallery Vineyard Pinot Noir and other unique lots will be offered
by boutique wineries including Adastra, Ancien, Fasmer & Blaise, Molnar Family Wines, Madonna
Estate, Talisman and Toad Hall Cellars. Proceeds from the Live Auction will benefit the education,
scholarship and training programs of early stage wine and food professionals. Proceeds from the
Silent Auction will benefit the newly established Carneros Land Stewardship Foundation. For tickets
and information visit the website at
www.carneros.com.
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival The 11th Annual Anderson Valley
Pinot Noir Festival will be May 16-18, 2008. A Technical Conference kicks
off the event on Friday, May 16 followed by a BBQ at the historic Day
Ranch at Standish Wine Co in Philo. The Grand Tasting will be on Saturday
featuring Anderson Valley’s finest producers at Goldeneye Winery in
Philo. Winery Open houses will be on Sunday, May 18. Accommodations
are limited in the Anderson Valley so RSVP as soon as possible. For tickets
and further information, visit the website at
www.avwines.com. One of
my favorite wine festivals.
Paso Pinot & Paella Cook Off The 5th Annual Paso Pinot & Paella Cook Off will be held Sunday, June
8th, from 2-5 PM. 16 chefs will be cooking their version of paella and 20+ Paso Robles area Pinot Noir
producers will be pouring their wines. The event is held under the towering trees at Templeton Park
and will include music and a dance exhibition. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased from the event
website at www.pinotandpaella.com. All profits go to the Paso Robles Youth Arts Foundation.
