Posted on November 01, 2018

2019 World of Pinot Noir Announces Full Lineup of Events

This year’s event includes more than 200 wineries from around the globe, pairing dinners, Pinot Noir parties and expert-led seminars, including an Exploring the New World of Pinot Noir led by Elaine Chukan Brown, the American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, as well as Tasting the Signature Styles of Burgundy with David Glancy, Master Sommelier and founder of the San Francisco Wine School.

Nov. 1, 2018 (Santa Barbara, Calif.) – The World of Pinot Noir (WOPN), the wine world’s foremost organization dedicated to the education and celebration of Pinot Noir, is proud to announce tickets for the entire lineup – including exclusive dinners and seminars – are officially on sale for its marquee event taking place February 28 – March 2 at the seaside Ritz-Carlton Bacara in sunny Santa Barbara.

All tickets can be viewed and purchased at WorldofPinotNoir.com.

Among the many seminars, dinners and parties, the WOPN Board of Directors are proud to announce Elaine Chukan Brown – the American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, and a contributing writer to Wine & Spirits Magazine – will lead a winemaker panel discussion and tasting exploring the exciting wines being produced in New Zealand, Oregon, Chile and California. The discussion will explore how these pioneering regions are helping shape the future of Pinot Noir.

David Glancy, a Master Sommelier and founder of the San Francisco Wine School, will guide WOPN’s popular Burgundy tasting seminar focusing on identifying the signature styles of the marque region.

Wine Enthusiast Contributing Editor Matt Kettmann will be hosting a dozen famous winemakers during Stars of the Central Coast Dinner.

And Esther Mobley, Wine Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle will be exploring the wines from Anderson Valley’s famous Savoy Vineyard.

Returning this year will be the Opening Night Party, and the second-annual Rosé Lawn Party on the bluff presented by United Airlines on March 2.

On pace to be the largest and most well-attended event in the organization’s 19-year history, the 2019 World of Pinot Noir will include two full days of pairing dinners prepared by renown chefs, Pinot Noir parties, two Grand Tastings featuring more than 250 premier Pinot Noir wineries from around the globe, and additional expert-led seminars.

Here are the multiple ways Pinot Noir fans and aficionados can take part in the events throughout the weekend.

• WEEKEND PASS

Includes a ticket to the Opening Night Party February 28; admission to the Friday and Saturday Tasting Seminars & Luncheon; VIP Admission to the Friday and Saturday Grand Tastings; and one Pinot Noir Pairing Dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Thursday, February 28

• OPENING NIGHT PARTY

Kickoff the World of Pinot Noir with a wine-filled feast and fête. The evening will feature Pinot Noir wines from all over the world poured by America’s leading sommeliers. You’ll be able to meet and talk with winemakers, indulge in tasty bites prepared by The Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef, Umit Kaygusuz, and dance the night away.

Friday, March 1

• FRIDAY SINGLE-DAY PASS

Includes admission to the Exploring The New World of Pinot Noir Tasting Seminar & Luncheon, VIP Admission to the Friday Grand Tasting and one Friday evening Pinot Noir Pairing Dinner.

• FRIDAY SEMINAR & LUNCHEON:Exploring the New World of Pinot Noir

Keynote speaker Elaine Chukan Brown – the American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, and a contributing writer to Wine & Spirits Magazine – will lead a winemaker panel discussion and tasting exploring the exciting wines being produced in New Zealand, Oregon, Chile and California. The discussion will explore how these pioneering regions are helping shape the future of Pinot Noir. Panelists include: New Zealand - Erica Crawford of Love Block Wines; Oregon - Brianne Day of Day Wines; Chile - Rodrigo Soto of Ritual Wines; and California - James Ontiveros of Native 9 Wines. The seminar includes a three-course lunch paired with Pinot Noir and cool-climate wines prepared by the Ritz-Carlton Bacara culinary team, with wine service by World of Pinot Noir Sommeliers.

• FRIDAY SEMINAR: Savoy Vineyard: The Apex of Anderson Valley

Planted in 1990, this storied cool-climate vineyard has been the source of Anderson Valley’s marquee Pinot Noirs. This seminar, led by Esther Mobley, Wine Critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, will cover the history of the Anderson Valley with a focus on wines crafted from the Savoy Vineyard. The tastings will showcase the premier wineries that source their fruit here, including: FEL Wines, which has owned and farmed the property since 2011, Peay Vineyards, Radio-Coteau and WALT Wines.

• FRIDAY SPOTLIGHT SEMINAR: WALT Wines Vertical Tasting

New to World of Pinot Noir 2019, WALT invites you to a unique Vertical Tasting led by acclaimed winemaker, Megan Gunderson Paredes. The rare tasting experience will include eight vineyard designate wines from two premiere vineyards - Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills AVA and Sierra Mar located in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Each wine will be showcased for guests to taste through in a four-year vertical format. Sonoma-inspired charcuterie boards will be included. Based in Sonoma, WALT focuses on 1,000 miles of Pinot sourcing grapes from as far South as Santa Barbara and as far North as the Shea Vineyard in Willamette Valley.

• FRIDAY VIP GRAND TASTING

This exclusive VIP ticket provides you with early entry to the Ritz-CarltonBacara’s Grand Ballroom, where you’ll be able to meet winemakers, be the first to bid on silent auction items, and taste through hundreds of Pinot Noir producers from around the world. And there’s more! Exclusive for VIP pass holders is the VIP room filled with special wines and cheeses with a comfortable place to sit.

• FRIDAY GRAND TASTING

Taste through more than 100 Pinot Noir producers from around the world gathered in the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara's Grand Ballroom. Bid on silent auction items while you nibble on fresh, local and seasonal wine country appetizers from the Ritz-Carlton Bacara culinary team.

• FRIDAY BURGUNDY DINNER: CELEBRATING DOMAINE CHANSON

One of the great historic producers of Burgundy, Chanson is one of only six producers in Burgundy still remaining from the 18th century. For this five-course dinner, your host, Chanson’s Managing Director Vincent Avenal, will be selecting verticals of some of his favorite wines to pair with the menu, created by Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef Umit Kaygusuz. The wines will include choice vintages of Chanson’s Beaune Clos de Fèves Monopole, Savigny Lès Beaune Dominodes, Chamberton Clos de Bèze, and Beaune Cuvée de Salins Hospice de Beaune. The dinner will open with Champagne Bollinger, Chanson’s sister Champagne house.

• THE ROOTS OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR: CALERA + KOSTA BROWNE + GOLDENEYE

Join California Pinot Noir wineries for this fun, five-course blockbuster feast designed by Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef Umit Kaygusuz. Hosted by Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 honoree, Neil Benardi, General Manager of Kosta Browne and Vice President of Winemaking at Duckhorn Wine Company, each course will be paired with the wines of Calera, Kosta Browne, Migration and Goldeneye. Dedicated to pioneers of California Pinot Noir each winery will feature several wines. The winemakers will be selecting the wines – so expect plenty of library wines – and a few surprises throughout the evening.

• FESS PARKER DINNER: 30 YEARS OF FESS PARKER

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Fess Parker Winery, the World of Pinot Noir is proud to host this five-course dinner and retrospective of one of California Pinot Noir’s most pioneering and influential wine families. Members of the Parker family, as well as head winemaker Blair Fox, will be on hand to walk guests through rare library wines representing the breadth and depth of the winery’s portfolio. Chef John Cox of The Bear and Star restaurant will deliver a carefully paired menu of his signature refined ranch cuisine to complement the tasting.

Saturday, March 2

• SATURDAY SINGLE-DAY PASS

Includes admission to The Signature Styles of Burgundy Tasting Seminar & Luncheon, VIP Admission to the Saturday Grand Tasting and a Saturday evening Pinot Noir Pairing Dinner. (Dinner upgrades will be available after purchase.)

• SATURDAY BURGUNDY SEMINAR & LUNCHEON: TASTING THE SIGNATURE STYLES OF BURGUNDY

Founder of the San Francisco Wine School and Master Sommelier David Glancy – along with a panel of Burgundy experts and winemakers – will lead a fun and educational tasting exploring the varied winemaking styles that distinguish the top Burgundy houses, including those that ferment “whole cluster” versus those who do not. Via this tasting of Burgundy’s most notable producers and acclaimed vintages – including marquee wines from Domaine Chanson – the panel will also discuss the nuances of Burgundy's sub-regions, and the region’s current and coming trends. The seminar includes a three-course Pinot Noir-paired lunch prepared by the Ritz-Carlton Bacara culinary team, with wine service by World of Pinot Noir Sommeliers.

• SATURDAY ROSÉ LAWN PARTY Presented by United Airlines

Held on the seaside bluff of the Angel Oak veranda, this popular daytime lawn party will feature more than 50 of the best Pinot Noir Rosés on the planet, a gourmet buffet lunch crafted by the Angel Oak’s Chef du Cuisine, and unobstructed, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

• SATURDAY NEW WORLD SEMINAR: DISCOVER THE BEST OF OREGON’s WILLAMETTE VALLEY

Keynote speaker Elaine Chukan Brown – the American Specialist for JancisRobinson.com, and a contributing writer to Wine & Spirits Magazine – will lead a winemaker panel discussion and tasting exploring the best wines of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Brown will lead guests through a line-up of marquee wines that spotlight the nuanced styles of the region’s top producers and show the amazing age-ability of this vanguard region.

• SATURDAY VIP GRAND TASTING

This exclusive VIP ticket provides you with early entry to the Ritz-CarltonBacara’s Grand Ballroom, where you’ll be able to meet winemakers, be the first to bid on silent auction items, and taste through hundreds of Pinot Noir producers from around the world. And there’s more! Exclusive for VIP pass holders is the VIP room filled with special wines and cheeses with a comfortable place to sit.

• SATURDAY GRAND TASTING

Taste through more than 120 Pinot Noir producers from around the world gathered in the Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara's Grand Ballroom. Bid on silent auction items while you nibble on fresh, local and seasonal wine country appetizers from the Ritz-Carlton Bacara culinary team.

• SATURDAY WILLIAMS SELYEM + MELVILLE DINNER

This limited-seating dinner will explore the differences – and shared qualities – between North Coast and Central Coast California Pinot Noirs through wines from these two storied and quintessential producers. Williams Selyem’s Director of Winemaking Jeff Mangahas, and Winemaker and Founder Chad Melville, will share their equally meticulous approaches to crafting Pinot Noir, and handpick the wines to pair with each of the five courses prepared by Ritz-Carlton Bacara’s Executive Chef Umit Kaygusuz.

• SATURDAY CALIFORNIA DINNER: THE STARS OF THE CENTRAL COAST

Matt Kettmann, a Contributing Editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine and a leading authority on the Central Coast, will assemble 12 of the best wineries – and their winemakers from the region for this exciting feast. Here’s how it works. At each of the 12 tables will be a winemaker with his or her marquee wines. Each lucky guest will find out the night of the dinner which table they’ll be seated. Kettmann and each winemaker will talk about their wines and the stories behind it. As the evening progresses, wines will jump from table to table. Tickets will be limited for this intimate event. Stay tuned for the participating winemakers.

• SATURDAY SOMMELIER GUILD DINNER

The World of Pinot Noir is thrilled to present an extraordinary wine dinner hosted by the Guild of Sommeliers. Jay James, Master Sommelier and Chairman of SommFoundation, will present vintage Burgundy wines from the Guild’s extensive cellar in this six-course gourmand experience. This intimate, one-of-kind dinner experience is limited.

For more information about the World of Pinot Noir, please visit WorldofPinotNoir.com. Members of the media interested in covering and/or attending the annual event, please contact [email protected].

About The World of Pinot Noir:

WOPN, a non-profit trade organization, was established in 2001 by a small, dedicated group of winemakers from California’s Central Coast. The group’s mission is to bring together the world’s foremost Pinot Noir producers, and in a gorgeous setting, celebrate the delicious wine grape. Wineries, potential sponsors and wine enthusiasts interested in learning more, please visit worldofpinotnoir.com, or contact [email protected]. Follow and tag us on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram. #wopn #wopn2019