For any of my readers in southern California, pay attention, there is a huge wine event this Saturday, January 15, 2011 at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica Pinot Days. Over 100 top domestic Pinot Noir producers, and a couple from outside the US, will be featured. This is huge.
In fairness, the event is called Pinot Days, not Pinot Day, so here is a more full schedule of events:
Winemakers “Table Hop” Dinner at Wine House Upstairs, Thursday, January 13, 2011 6:00-10:00PM, Wine House, 2311 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA $90 – Enjoy a sit down five course Pinotcentric meal created by Chef Todd Barrie to pair with 10 delicious Pinot Noirs. The Winemakers will move seats with each course, so diners can experience ten true characters.
Pinot Days “Meet the Winemakers” Night at West Restaurant at Hotel Angeleno, Friday, January 14, 2011 6:00-9:00PM, West Restaurant at Hotel Angeleno, 170 N. Church Lane, Los Angeles, Penthouse Level, 17th Floor $28 – Angeleno’s West will prepare small appetizer Pinot focused food pairings to go with the Pinot Noir poured by the winemakers from Fog Crest Vineyard, Thomas Fogarty Winery, Derby Wine Estate, Big Basin Wine, Cuvaison Estate Wines, and Willamette Valley Vineyards.
Pinot Days Pinots and Grilled Cheese at Wine House, Friday, January 14, 2011 8:15-10:00PM, Wine House, 2311 Cotner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA $25 – Chef Todd Barrie will create gwine guerrillourmet versions of the classic comfort food to pair with some of the country’s best Pinot Noir.
VIP Regional Tours and EARLY ACCESS to Grand Festival, Saturday, January 15, 2011 12:00-2:00PM Barker Hanger, 3021 Airport Avenue, Suite 203, Santa Monica, CA $100 – Enter the Grand Festival two hours early, enjoy a winemaker guided tasting tour of different Pinot Noir regions – including Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Santa Maria Valley, and Santa Rita Hills – and spend the last 30 minutes of your bonus two hours tasting from any of the 300 wines in a nearly private opportunity.
2ND Annual Pinot Days Southern California Grand Festival Public Tasting, Saturday, January 105, 2011 2:00-6:00PM Barker Hanger, 3021 Airport Avenue, Suite 203, Santa Monica, CA $60 – This is it, this is the biggie! The Pinot Days Grand Tasting will feature over 125 top producers of Pinot Noir, from the Anderson Valley to the Santa Rita Hills, from the Willamette Valley to the Russian River Valley – every important growing region will be represented. Taste Pinot Noir from the deservedly heralded 2007 vintage. Nearly 400 wines will be poured Saturday, and you may be able to share a few words with your favorite winemakers as the pour taste after taste for a happy group of wine loving attendees. Join the fun, this is THE event in Southern California for Pinot Noir lovers.
The folks at Pinot Days have given me a discount code to share with my readers. Enter JOHNWINESC11 when prompted as you order tickets for any of the events, and you will enjoy a 10% discount on your Pinot Days event tickets.
For more information, and to order your Pinot Days event tickets, with your JohnOnWine 10% Discount, visit the Pinot Days Website.
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Nancy Cameron Iannios has won two tickets to the ZAP Good Food & Eats Pairing Event Thursday, January 27, 2011in San Francisco.
Nancy’s BBQ Cowboy Pizza Topped Herbed Pizza Crust recipe won Nancy a $280 value pair of tickets to the first night’s event at this year’s Zinfandel Festival.
I hope Nancy and her husband Aris can get some time off and come down for the event; but if they can’t attend, I know Nancy has many friends in the area, and the tickets will be well used. Congratulations to my loyal reader, and, far more important to me, my good friend, Nancy Cameron Iannios.
50 Zin producers last year meant over 150 wines, paired with 50 delicious food treats, an incredible kickoff event. Thanks to Zinfandel Advocates and Producers for making these tickets available for me to give away.
Look out for another contest for another Zinfandel Festival event, where I’ll be giving out another pair of tickets.
You can also visit ZAP’s website for more information or to order Zinfandel Festival event tickets.
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Not long ago, I received some sample wines to taste, and I opened a bottle to pair with some pasta I made for dinner recently.
The wine I opened was the Wine Guerrilla 2009 Coffaro Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley Sonoma County $40.
Admittedly, my pasta was somewhat pedestrian, but the wine kicked my pasta right in the meatballs. Really delicious, almost a thick red vine of endless juicy, jammy fruit flavors. Like a trip to Jamba Juice for the best berry smoothie in memory, this Zinfandel was accessible, had good depth, and was very drinkable. Nice balanced acid, providing structure for all of the fruit to show, and inviting another taste, and another.
100 plus year old vines, 84% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah; 15% alc; 100% go buy some. It made my pasta far more enjoyable. Only 145 cases produced.
Wine Guerrilla will be pouring their delicious wines at ZAP’s Zinfandel Festival Grand Tasting, January 29th too!
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Cheers!
