Events at the World of Pinot Noir

The 12th Annual World of Pinot Noir features events that have become WOPN favorites, such as the two Grand Tastings By The Sea on Friday and Saturday afternoons, a traditional seminar and pairing on Friday and our always-popular Burgundy Seminar on Saturday. But 2012 also sees new events - Friday night you can choose between a vintage Burgundian Dinner or a Seaside Fête on Avila Beach, Saturday daytime choices include Pinot Adventure Camp - kayaking, hiking or golf with winemakers, followed by lunch with Pinot Noir and Saturday evening is highlighted by dinner at five select Central Coast restaurants, with winemakers sharing their wines and stories.

Visit the Participants page to see which winery will be present at the events.

Calendar of Events

Beginning with Bubbles - Friday, 8.30 - 9.15am

Author and Pinot Noir expert John Haeger will welcome World of Pinot Noir guests with a special preface to this year's wine seminars: an informal conversation about the role of Pinot Noir in sparkling wines made on both sides of the Atlantic. Participants will have the opportunity to taste a glass of Sea Smoke's inaugural vintage (2008) of Sea Spray, an estate-grown blanc de noir sparkling wine.

The Cliffs Ballroom. $8.30 per person

Two Seminars with Lunch - Friday, 9.15am - 1.45pm

You’ll be transported from The Cliffs Resort by motor coach to the winery, where you will be presented with a morning and afternoon tasting seminar. Lunch will be served after the morning seminar, and will be accompanied by wine generously provided by Chamisal Vineyards.

Technique vs. Terroir – Vineyard, Vintage, Winemaker – Cubed.

Is wine made in the vineyard? Or is the wine a result of the winemaker’s skill and methods? This seminar examines the influence of the winemaker and the vineyard on Pommard grapes picked in Carneros, Sta. Rita Hills, and the Willamette Valley. Three winemakers divided 6 tons of fruit from each vineyard and shipped it to each other to be made according to each winemaker’s style. Decisions to inoculate with commercial yeast, the percentage and cooperage of new barrels, the fluctuation of maceration times as well as other elements were varied by each winemaker. Results will be explored and evaluated by the panel which includes winemakers Leslie Renaud from Lincourt (Sta. Rita Hills), Andrew Brooks from Bouchaine Vineyards (Carneros) and Thomas Houseman from Anne Amie Vineyards (Willamette Valley). You’ll taste the 2010 vintage from three AVAs from these three winemakers, in this unique experiment.

Natural Winemaking – Highest Respect or Neglect?

One of the more debated winemaking topics currently in the media is the Natural Winemaking movement, but what does that mean? We’ll explore and taste the full spectrum of this bell-shaped curve from panelists who believe in total “naked” wines with absolutely no intervention from the winemaker to those who use whatever modern techniques they believe will make their wine shine. The middle ground will be defended by those who believe in some of this and some of that, and everyone will work to define how the word “natural” fits into a wine’s profile. Panelists include Bradley Brown (Big Basin Vineyards), Peter Cargasacchi (Cargasacchi Wines), Alice Feiring (author, Naked Wine), Nathan Kandler (Thomas Fogarty Winery), Scott Kelley (Estancia Winery), Brian Maloney (DeLoach VIneyards), Clark Smith (Wine Smith Wines) and Joe Wright (Left Coast Cellars). This promises to be a lively and exciting debate with the audience making your own decisions on this topic by tasting the wines.  The panel will be moderated by John Haeger.

At Chamisal Vineyards winery, round-trip transportation from The Cliffs Resort included. $195 per person

Pinot Noir by the Sea Grand Tasting - Friday, 3 - 6pm

Friday’s Grand Tasting will feature more than 80 domestic and international producers of Pinot Noir in a gorgeous setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The wines will be accompanied by tasty appetizers from local producers as well as the ever-popular cheese display and tasting by The Cheese Shop of Carmel. The Pinot Noir producers will each be pouring a sampling of their wines – perhaps a library release and current, or a pairing of vineyard designates.

Taste around the world with Pinot Noir, enjoy local Pinot-Noir friendly delectables and browse the silent auction for magnums and collectibles for your cellar. Ticket price includes a crystal glass with WOPN logo as a memento of the day.

The Cliffs Resort. $95 per person

Vintage Burgundy Dinner - Friday, from 6.45pm

Fred Dame MS, with The Court of Master Sommeliers, hosts this intimate 50-person full-course dinner prepared by Chef Mark Peel of Campanile and Chef Brian Collins of Lido Restaurant. The Court of Master Sommeliers will be pouring vintage wines from their cellar that will be paired beautifully with Chef Peel and Chef Collins’ exquisite cuisine. Each table will be hosted by a Master Sommelier.

Lido Restaurant at Dolphin Bay (next door to The Cliffs Resort). $400 per person

Seaside Fête, Friday from 6.45pm

Guests will experience a seaside feast with cuisine from Central Coast chefs, and Pinot Noir from host wineries. The WOPN Seaside Fête will take place at the beach and under the stars. Our area's most-revered chefs will prepare a fresh, seasonal, local cuisine that will seduce the palate of Pinot Noir lovers. A beach bonfire and live band are the exclamation to an evening that will be one to be remembered.

Avila Beach, round-trip transportation from The Cliffs Resort included. $150 per person

Burgundy from the Ground Up - Saturday, 10.00am - 1.45pm

This year, Burgundy authority Allen Meadows conducts a primer on the history, grapes, soils, and geography of Burgundy. The session will feature wines representing the terroir of villages in Côte de Beaune (Volnay & Pommard), and in the Côte de Nuits (Gevrey Chambertin, and Vosne-Romanée). This is a great opportunity for those who would like to begin their education on the wines in Burgundy, or for those who would like to deepen their understanding. A 3-course lunch prepared by Chef Brian Collins at Lido Restaurant is included.

The Cliffs Ballroom with lunch at Lido Restaurant at Dolphin Bay. $195 per person

Pinot Noir Adventure Camps - Saturday March 3rd

Your World of Pinot Noir hosts invite you to share in the beauty of our Central Coast winegrowing region. What better than an outdoor outing with winemakers, followed by hearty, delicious local lunch with Pinot Noir? Your choice of:

Pinot Adventure Camp: Golf Outing with Lunch at Mulligan's Grill, 7am - 1.45pm

Enjoy a round of golf with a winemaker at the Avila Beach Golf Resort. Nestled in the surrounding hills and on the bay, the resort includes a par 71, 6500-yard championship course. The front nine is situated within oak-lined valleys. The back nine traverses a tidal estuary. Golfers of all abilities will enjoy the challenge of this scenic course. Each foursome will include one wine maker. A buffet lunch at Mulligan’s Grill with a selection of Pinot Noir from the wine makers will follow the round. . Transportation to Avila Beach Golf Resort, greens fees and golf cart are included in the cost of the event. Bragging rights are free.

Host wineries: Clos Pepe Estate, Melville Vineyards, Presq'ile and Vergari Wines.

Avila Beach Golf Resort, round-trip transportation from The Cliffs Resort included. $150 per person

Pinot Adventure Camp: Kayak in Morro Bay with Lunch at Windows on the Water, 7.45am - 1.30pm

Kayaking on Morro Bay is a great activity and is suitable for beginners as well as experienced kayakers. The tour will visit the oyster farm and harbor seal area south of State Park Marina, then venture north to the Heron Preserve in Morro Bay State Park, then (depending on tidal conditions) kayakers might also head a bit west and visit the Grassy Island area. The kayak tour will be followed by a 3-course Pinot Noir lunch at Windows on the Water restaurant in Morro Bay where six participating wineries will present and pour their wines. Transportation to Morro Bay, kayak and guide included in the cost of the event.

Host wineries:  Ancien Wines, Breggo and Flying Goat Cellars.

Morro Bay, round-trip transportation from The Cliffs Resort included. $150 per person

Pinot Adventure Camp: Hike at Estero Bluffs with Lunch at Windows on the Water, 7.45am - 1.30pm

Come experience a little known stretch of pristine coast north of Cayucos recently opened to the public. Hiking along the low bluffs and a series of secret beaches with a naturalist, we learn about the delicacy and richness of the varied eco-systems while watching for sea otters and harbor seals playing in the rocky surf. The hike is moderately strenuous. No elevation, but the ground will be wet. The hike will be followed by a 3-course Pinot Noir lunch at Windows on the Water restaurant in Morro Bay where six participating wineries will present and pour their wines.

Host wineries: Courtside Cellars, Donelan Family Wines.

Estero Bluffs (North of Cayucos), round-trip transportation from The Cliffs Resort included. $125 per person

*Pinot Adventure Camp – Weather Contingency Plan*

If poor weather conditions are forecasted, the WOPN Board of Directors and/or Central Coast Outdoors reserves the right to implement a Weather Contingency Plan.  The Weather Contingency Plan will involve all Pinot Adventure Camp attendees being transported from the Cliffs Resort at 8:30 am to Morro Bay for a wine seminar.  Winery hosts will prepare a short presentation on their wines, followed by a tasting and a 3-course lunch prepared by Neil Smith at Windows on the Water.  No refunds will be given if the Weather Contingency Plan is implemented.

Pinot Noir by the Sea Grand Tasting - Saturday, 3 - 6pm

Taste around the World of Pinot Noir with more than 80 producers of Pinot Noir – each a different producer than the Grand Tasting on Friday. While you are tasting globally, enjoy locally-grown, produced and prepared appetizers from Central Coast chefs, caterers and specialty food purveyors. As always, Kent Torrey returns with his incredible cheeses from The Cheese Shop of Carmel. As you taste from Austria to Australia, New York to Oregon, and all throughout California’s Pinot Noir regions, make sure to stop by the Silent Auction area to bid on something special for your own cellar. Admission price includes a WOPN crystal glass to remember the day.

The Cliffs Resort. $95 per person

Dine Around the Central Coast - Saturday, from 6pm

Our beautiful coastal location is not only an amazing winegrowing region, but an incredible place to live, work and visit if you’re into fresh, inventive and delicious food. This year we are showcasing our local chef talent with Winemaker Dinners at five local restaurants. Each chef will prepare a multiple course dinner, with each paired and hosted by a winery. Roundtrip transportation from The Cliffs Resort is included, and price is inclusive. Details on participating wineries at each location will be posted on this page as we approach March 2012. Your choice of dining at:

Pinot Noir Dinner at The Cass House with Chef Jensen Lorenzen

The Cass House Restaurant features seasonally inspired menus and a thoughtful wine program to complement it. Chef Jensen Lorenzen and his wife Grace have gone to great lengths to establish relationships with local and sustainable growers and producers to ensure that their guests receive the best of what is available on the central coast. The intimate dining room is the perfect setting for a gathering of friends in Pinot Noir. Host wineries include Handley Cellars, Foley Estate Winery and La Fenetre.

The Cass House dinner is Sold Out

Pinot Noir Dinner at The Neon Carrot with Chef Maegen Loring

“What grows together, goes together,” The Neon Carrot’s mantra says is it all. The restaurant's mission is to share the pleasurable flavors derived from the unique quality of each ingredient used in preparing every dish. Chef Maegen uses locally and organically grown produce whenever possible to create a variety of tastes and flavors from all over the world. She loves to explore local markets and buy from farmers, bakers, winemakers, butchers and other artisans who share our beliefs that great food nourishes the soul. Host wineries include Anne Amie, Sequana Vineyards, Stephen Ross Cellars and Zotovich Cellars.

$150 per person

Pinot Noir Dinner at Et Voilà! with Chef José Dahan

Et Voilà! is unique among restaurants. Chef José Dehan’s classically-prepared cuisine for his French bistro is in accordance with the season, the market, and his mood. Chef José presents what is fresh from the farms, and on the docks. He is French country cooking at its finest. Host wineries include Lincourt Winery, Presqu'ile, Sinor-LaVallee, and Sokol Blosser Winery.

$150 per person

Pinot Noir Dinner at Ventana Grill with Chef Ricardo Ortega

With an atmosphere that channels the four elements, Ventana Grill in Pismo Beach immerses guests in the enchanting pleasures of the natural world. Chef Ricardo Ortega’s cuisine compliments diners surrounded by the rhythmic serenade of waves crashing on the beach below. The stylish dining room sits perched on a coastal bluff, treating guests to an endless view of azure blue and rich red sunsets. Host wineries include Chamisal Vineyards, Donelan Family Wines, Laetitia Vineyards and Left Coast Cellars.

$150 per person

Pinot Noir Dinner at Novo

Novo Restaurant and Lounge is located in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo. The proprietor Robin Covey describes the restaurant’s cuisine as global flavors using local produce. The name Novo comes from the Brazilian Portuguese word meaning “new” which perfectly describes the eclectic, global and inspiring atmosphere that he and his staff have created in the iconic Cigar Factory space overlooking San Luis Creek. Host wineries include Big Basin Vineyards, Flying Goat Cellars, La Follette and Talley Vineyards.

$150 per person