Shane Moore of Gran Moraine Wines

Pinot Noir is bewitching, it casts a spell with its hauntingly beautiful aromas and flavors and is beloved by everybody.  Depending on where in the world it’s grown, Pinot Noir can be delicate and ethereal, ripe and sexy, or big and bold.  Exploring Pinot Noir in all its glory is what the 2018 World of Pinot aims to do on Friday and Saturday, March 2-3.  Established 18 years ago by California’s Central Coast Pinot Noir winemakers, the World of Pinot Noir (WOPN) educates and encourages wine lovers on Pinot’s charms, every year at the beginning of March.  From Burgundy’s Nuits-St.-Georges to New Zealand’s Central Otago, Pinot Noir captivates the palate, fueled by the passion of winemakers who strive to cultivate the finicky grape.

Jeff Gaffner and Tracey Walker of Saxon Brown Wines

Clarissa Nagy of CNagy Wines

Wells Guthrie of Copain Wines

James Hall of Patz & Hall Wines

The World of Pinot Noir praises the beauty of the wines, with two days of tasting seminars, Grand Tastings, and wine-themed lunches and dinners.  Celebrating producers from prominent Pinot regions worldwide, and assisted by the insights of an outstanding panel of sommeliers from across the US, Pinot Noir aficionados can taste the differences for themselves.  Held at Bacara Resort & Spa in Santa Barbara, the 2018 World of Pinot Noir features a cast of who’s who on the Pinot planet, where wineries, chefs, sommeliers, panelists, and industry experts come together in the name of Pinot Noir!

Ken Bernards of Ancien Wines

Jonathan Nagy of Byron Wines

Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton Wines

Will Henry of Lumen Wines

Starting Friday, March 2nd, with “Exploring the Oregon-Burgundy Connection” a tasting and panel discussion looks into how Oregon’s New World region expresses the Old World character of Pinot Noir, followed by a three-course lunch.  The morning is just a prelude to the day’s events, with something for everyone.  A midday luncheon, “Celebrating the New Petaluma Gap AVA” promises a showcase of award-winning Pinot, zeroing in on this cool-climate, windswept region that is 75% Pinot Noir.  Early afternoon, Matt Kettmann explores the Central Coast in a “Discover the Cool Climate Terroirs of the Central Coast” seminar, tasting through nine award-winning wines with a panel of four well renowned winemakers from across the region.  In the afternoon, you can sample Pinots from more than 150 producers at the Friday Grand Tasting, and discuss vintage and terroir with the winemakers themselves.  To cap off the evening, three multi-course Pinot-centric dinners will be offered throughout the resort featuring California wine country, with guest chef Ken Tominaga from Sonoma County and Executive Chef Umit Kaygusuz of Bacara preparing different feasts that spotlight the wines from participating producers.  Dinner choices include:  “The Art of Japanese Cuisine and Freeman Winery Pinot Noir”, “The Bounties of the Santa Maria Valley: A Celebratory Farm-to-Fork Dinner”, and “101 Years of Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir Along the Historic Highway 101”, all sure to be spectacular!

Saturday starts with a blast of Burgundy.  The “Tasting Through The Best of Burgundy” will dive into multiple vintages of notable Burgundian properties, with a tasting seminar and three course lunch.  A Rosé Lawn Party, held on the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, offers 35 excellent Pinot Noir rosé wines along with a gourmet buffet lunch.  An afternoon seminar, “Attack of The Clones”, demonstrates the differences in the major Pinot Noir clones, with five winemakers guiding the tasting.  The Saturday Grand Tasting offers wine tasting of more than 100 Pinot Noir producers from around the world.  The event draws to a close with several food and wine pairing dinners offered at Bacara, from “Celebrating the Women of Pinot Noir” honoring 12 groundbreaking female California winemakers to a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir dinner, or an elite vintage Burgundy dinner with the Guild of Sommeliers.

Tickets are available on the WOPN website, and due to its increasing popularity, many events may be sold out.  But the Grand Tastings are certainly worth the time, because where can you taste so many Pinots from around the world in one place!