Posted by admin in 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.
Although the unbelievable food threatens to steal center stage at mealtime, pinot noir wines are of course the focus of the event. This year the legendary and irresistibly likeable Jancis Robinson will be setting the tone as master of ceremonies, with pinot luminaries from Oregon, the U.K., and France (think Ken Wright, David Schildknecht, and Francois Millet for starters) participating in panel discussions, guided tastings, and the like. Wines from Oregon, Washington, California, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and of course France afford a unique opportunity to examine the impact of terroir on a single varietal. As if that weren’t enough, the winemakers will actually be there to talk you through the tastings, and also discuss the impact winemaking techniques have on the grape. And then there’s the side-by-side dégustation of 2006 Grand Crus Bonnes Mares and Musigny Vieilles Vignes scheduled this year… be still my heart.
The event also features a visit to a local pinot noir producer with Oregon chef in tow… generally this involves a personal tour of the vineyards and winery facility, followed by a lot of wine tasting and ridiculously delicious farm-fresh snacks, followed by a no-holds-barred three course luncheon of local delicacies. Fortunately IPNC provides transportation both from the event epicenter (the lovely Linfield College campus) and—more importantly—back to campus after lunch. The ride back tends to be mellow and, well, replete.
Afternoons are whiled away playing petanque, nibbling cheese by the fountain, learning about local soils, and tasting the other members of the pinot family… pinot blanc, pinot gris, pinot meunier, and the Austrian St. Laurent (a wonderful ace in the hole for your next wine geek cocktail party).
And before you know it, it’s time for dinner! The first night features a collaborative effort from some of the Northwest’s finest chefs, each preparing an original dish designed to pair beautifully with the grape of honor. Saturday night is the legendary wild salmon bake, where hundreds of whole salmon filets are strapped to wooden staves around a roaring bonfire to cook/smoke in traditional Native American fashion. The key to success at this event is securing your place at a winemaker’s table, because this is the night they pull out their private stashes to share with their pinot-loving friends, old and new. As overt physical violence is typically frowned upon, more subtle techniques are needed to score this prized seating. If all else fails and you are nevertheless outmaneuvered, rest assured you can always make the rounds to visit with them once you’ve finished eating your pound and a half of salmon. The merriment continues late into the night.
Obviously, Sunday morning brings both a brutal hangover and the opportunity to mitigate your pounding head with cleansing bubbly, a truly fabulous brunch spread, and world class sommeliers in dress jackets and shorts. If you can stomach another massively delicious meal at this point, god bless you. Others of us are not so lucky and have to limit ourselves to the sushi bar and only a couple of glasses of Argyle.
For those who love pinot noir and want to learn more about the grape’s many incarnations, this event is, quite simply, a must. Rock-star faculty, all-star chefs, free-flowing pinot of the highest caliber, and fresh Oregon berries every day for breakfast. What’s not to love?
The International Pinot Noir Celebration 2009
McMinnville, Oregon
July 23rd- 25th, 2009
Tickets and additional information available at: www.ipnc.org
