It’s back and sounds better than ever – Pigs & Pinot 2010 on March 19th, 20th hosted at Hotel Healdsburg and noted Chef Charlie Palmer of Dry Creek Kitchen.  Joining him this year is:

• Tyler Florence (Cookbook Author, Food Network)
• Kevin Gillespie (Woodfire Grill & Top Chef finalist)
• Bryan Voltaggio (Volt restaurant & Top Chef finalist)
• Roland Passot (La Folie restaurant)
• Dustin Valette (Dry Creek Kitchen Chef de Cuisine)

Apparently the packages are already sold out and only a few tickets will be available next week on January 21st.  One wonders if they are artificially creating demand or if it’s just that popular.  Of course, one can’t go wrong in pairing pork and pinot - a perfect combination.  Go to the WineCountry.com Travel Blog for more details on each Pigs & Pinot event throughout the upcoming March weekend.

by Dierdre Bourdet

I love the IPNC… three days of virtually uninterrupted eating and drinking in Oregon wine country with amazing chefs, international winemakers, astonishingly delicious local foods, and a couple hundred kindred spirits who also love such things.

My past experiences at the event suggest that the acronym carries additional hidden meaning.

“I” is for the intensity of the grueling daily schedule of feasting, wine tasting and al fresco relaxation.

“P” is for the unspeakable pleasures awaiting you on lunchtime vineyard visits with Oregon’s finest chefs, during every magical evening dégustation, and on the morning breakfast buffet.

“N” is for the stunning natural beauty of the Willamette Valley summer, which you find on your plate at every meal.

“C” is for the lemon juice cleanse you will need by the time you roll away on Sunday afternoon.

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Anderson Valley in Mendocino Wine Country is known for producing great tasting Pinot Noirs!  Thus, it only makes sense that they have a festival dedicated to this varietal every year.  Mark your calendars for May 15 -17, 2009. 

Whether you make a day trip or spend the entire weekend, you’re sure to have some fun tasting wine from scores of Pinot Noir producers and enjoying local cuisine. 

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Dive into Pinot Noir in San Francisco at the upcoming annual Pinot Days in San Francisco June 24th – 28th, 2009.  Taste a wide variety of Pinot from producers from various wine regions. Attend winemaker dinners, focus tastings, tours, and much more.  If you can’t attend any of the other events throughout this long weekend of Pinot, definitely eek out some time for the Grand Tasting on Sunday.  Seedetails below:

Sunday’s Grand Tasting will showcase 200 producers of pinot noir. This is California’s largest single gathering of pinot producers, as well as its most varied. Consumers will be able to sample up to 400 pinots from every important region in California, Oregon, New Zealand, and Burgundy. As Freeman, August West and Sandler winemaker Ed Kurtzman says, “For anyone who already loves Pinot, this is an excellent opportunity to try many new wines as well as some well-established favorites. For those who don’t have a lot of Pinot experience, my bet is that they’ll be in love with this grape by the end of the weekend.”

Meet Ed, Wes Hagen, Adam Lee, Kathleen Inman, Fred Scherrer, Jeff Fink and so many others, enjoy the countless pinots and sample a variety of artisan cheeses & other specialty foods. We will feature a pinot production demonstration in which attendees can learn about the making of pinot from the vine to bottling and every step in between. We will also offer a number of pinots for auction, benefiting various charities.

For more information – www.pinotdays.com

Santa Cruz Wine Country is holding their annual Pinot Paradise event March 28 -29, 2009.  It’s boasted to be a a must attend event for a true Pinot Noir Lover featuring over 30 local wineries pouring some of their best from vintages 2004 to 2007.  If you’re on this site, I’m assuming you’re in that category, so here are the details on the event:

March 28, 2009

Pinot Pathways
Take a self-guided tour of wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains and taste wine directly from the barrel.  You might even get the opportunity to taste some older vintages for a true vertical tasting experience. Tickets are only $25 and lasts from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Tip: Bring your own personal toothbrush if you don’t want to flash people a dark purple, near black smile after you’ve had several barrel samples!)

March 29, 2009

Grand Cruz Tasting
Featuring local wineries pouring Pinot exclusively grown and produced in the Santa Cruz Mountains along with food from a dozen local gourmet restaurants. There will also be a silent auction and raffle with local wines, artisan foods, arts & crafts, winery tours and exotic getaways. Tickets for this popular event are $55 in advance or $65 at the door. Or  be a VIP for the day and take a preliminary sub regional tour with the winemakers prior to the Grand Cruz tasting for an additional $20.  In addition, there is also what is called “Technical Sessions” that are also offered on the same day before the Grand Cruz tasting that offer in-depth seminars by experts who will discuss the sub-regions of the Santa Cruz Mountains and their distinct flavor profiles.

All tickets can be purchased online here.