Merry Edwards wines poured at 2016 World of Pinot Noir

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 2017 World of Pinot aims to do on Friday and Saturday, March 3-4.  Established 17 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.

Matt Evans of New Zealand's Maori Point

Matthieu Gille of France's Domaine Gille

Jonathan Nagy of California's Byron

Eugenia Keegan of Oregon's Gran Moraine

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 2017 World of Pinot 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!

Greg Brewer of Brewer-Clifton

Rebecca Birdsall of Black Kite Cellars

Jeff Gaffner of Saxon Brown and Ram's Gate

Starting Friday, March 3rd, with “The Terroirists” a 2 part tasting and discussion, that delves into Old and New World Pinot Noir wines, accompanied by lunch afterwards.  It’s an opportunity to taste Louis Latour’s Premier and Grand Cru estate wines, followed by an exploration of terroir and vintage through a vertical and horizontal tasting of Sonoma’s Hirsch Vineyards.  The morning is just a prelude to the day’s events, with something for everyone.  A midday guided Rosé lunch, of Pinot-based wines of course, precedes an “Around the World with Pinot Noir” seminar, a guided journey through international Pinots from across the world, presented by SOMM Journal.  In the afternoon, you can sample Pinots from almost 100 producers at the “Pinot Noir By The Sea Focus Tasting”, and discuss vintage and terroir with the winemakers themselves.  To cap off the evening, several 5-course Pinot-centric dinners will be offered throughout the resort, from French countryside to California wine country, featuring guest chef cuisines along with wines from participating producers.  Dinner choices include:  Kosta Browne 20th Anniversary, Edna Valley Collective, Wines of Anderson Valley, and a special 6-course Louis Latour Burgundy meal, all sure to be spectacular!

Lane Tanner with her 1990 Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir

Richard Sanford mixed things up a bit with his 2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Blanc

Saturday starts with a blast of Burgundy.  The “La Côte D’Or - Vintage Does Make a Difference” will dive into multiple vintages of classic Burgundian properties, with a tasting seminar and three course lunch. A Sparkling Brunch is a chance to tickle the palate with Pinot bubbles, and an afternoon seminar, “Pinot & Pâté”, explores the food friendly aspect of Pinot Noir through cheese, pâté, and charcuterie from Fromagerie Sophie, accompanied by wines from Davis Bynam, Landmark, and Walt. The Saturday afternoon “Pinot Noir By The Sea Grand Tasting” offers a cast of California wines, alongside more Pinot Noir from other regions. The event draws to a close with several food and wine pairing dinners offered at Bacara, from a “Rock Stars of Pinot Noir” honoring iconic winemaker Merry Edwards to a Hitching Post Retrospective with Frank Ostini, one of the original founders of the WOPN, 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!

​*All photos are from the 2016 World of Pinot Noir event, taken by Patricia Decker*