11th Annual Pinot Noir Summit Continues Legacy

SEBASTOPOL, Calif., Feb. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 11^th Annual Pinot Noir Summit hosted by Affairs of the Vine will take place on Saturday, March 16^th at Herbst at The Presidio in San Francisco. 

Wine loving consumers, trade, and press will gather at Herbst at The Presidio to taste and assess the amazing wines submitted to this year's Pinot Noir Shootout competition. Attendees will pit their palates against the expert judging panel at the Pinot Noir Showdown, attend two Pinot Noir Workshops and attend the Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony.

The event is the culmination of the 11th Pinot Noir Shootout Competition, the largest competitive tasting of Pinot Noir in the world. Over 400 Pinot Noirs from top growing regions within the New World were entered and tasted over an 8-week period by an expert panel consisting of wine writers, winemakers, and wine educators.

The Pinot Noir Showdown brings a unique component to the day as attendees blind taste 40 of the top wines selected by the professional judging panel. Male and female votes are tallied separately and the results are announced at the Grand Tasting & Awards Ceremony.

"The evolution and advancement in excellence of Pinot Noir over the past 11 years has been truly amazing," stated Barbara Drady, President and Chief Wine Evangelist of Affairs of the Vine, the company that developed and manages the Pinot Noir Summit. "There is no doubt that the bar has been raised dramatically over the past 11 years as the number and outstanding quality of the wines we taste from diverse regions across the New World has increased dramatically."

The Pinot Noir Summit wraps up with The Pinot Noir Shootout Grand Tasting & Awards Ceremony. Wineries will pour their fabulous Pinot Noirs for attendees and discuss one on one their approach and philosophy. A selection of Pinot-friendly hors d'oeuvre will be served. During the Grand Tasting, awards will be presented to this year's winners from both the Blind Tasting and the professionally judged Pinot Noir Shootout.

Pinot Noir Summit Schedule

All Day Access – Includes two workshops, Blind Tasting, and Grand Tasting & Awards Ceremony

• 12:30 – 3:00PM ~ Workshops conducted by winemakers, viticulturalists and wine educators.
• 3:00-5:30PM Pinot Noir Showdown - A Blind Tasting of 40 of the top wines.
• 6:00-8:30 PM - Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony - Top Pinot Noir winemakers will showcase their wines with a pinot-friendly selection of light hors d'oeuvre. The winners will be unveiled and final results will be announced at 7:45 PM. (Tickets may be purchased separately)

Pinot Noir Summit Tickets $75 - $125

Herbst at the Presidio
385 Moraga Avenue
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
San Francisco, CA 94129
Directions

AFFAIRS of the VINE
Barbara Drady, Chief Wine Evangelist
696 Elliott Lane
Sebastopol, CA 95472
707.874.1975
[email protected]

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SOURCE Affairs of the Vine