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Association adds consumer tech conference ticket for 2010 festival
The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (AVWA) announces
that it will host the 13th annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival
on May 14-16 – albeit with a few changes. This popular festival,
focusing on one single variety from just one appellation, showcases
Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs from approximately 40 of the state’s finest
producers.
The Pinot Noir Festival weekend kicks off on Friday, May 14 with
a day-long technical conference and educational seminars. This year
the morning sessions will be focused on technical topics relevant for
industry members, and a new, afternoon-only ticket will be offered for
serious consumers, with in-depth tastings, food and wine pairings,
and presentations from local and guest vintners. The full-day ticket
will include breakfast and lunch, and the afternoon ticket will start at
lunch and go through the end of the day.
“We have long struggled with how to include both our fellow
industry members and serious consumers who would like to expand
their palates and knowledge of the variety,” said Zach Rasmussen of
Goldeneye Winery – the 2010 conference organizer. “We decided that
concentrating the tasting seminars, food and wine pairings, and winemaker
talks in the afternoon would give these consumers a chance to
be involved, but not have to attend the more technical morning
sessions.”
WINE COUNTRY THIS WEEK | MENDOCINO/LAKE COUNTIES
Anderson Valley Winegrowers’ Pinot Noir Festival
The technical conference will be followed by a casual barbecue at
Standish Wine Co.’s Day Ranch and will feature delicious local foods
and fantastic wines from around the state – all set outside, among the
property’s historic apple and pear orchard.
Participating wineries will pour their Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs
at the grand tasting on Saturday afternoon at Goldeneye Winery and,
for the second year in a row, will be able to feature a current release at
a pre-grand tasting press tasting. At the grand tasting, barbecued lamb,
wood-fired pizzas, local cheeses, and other delicious fare will be
offered to attendees, as well as entertainment by Mendocino County
musicians, Kevin and the Coconuts. A silent auction will be held to
benefit local charities (to-date more than $155,000 has been raised at
this event).
Participating wineries normally include: Baxter, Black Kite Cellars,
Breggo Cellars, Brutocao, Cakebread Cellars, Chronicle Wines,
Claudia Springs Winery, Copain Wines, Couloir Wines, Demuth
Winery, Drew, Elke Vineyards, Esterlina Vineyards, Ferrari-Carano,
Foursight Wines, Goldeneye Winery, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards,
Handley Cellars, Harmonique, Harrington, Husch Vineyards, Jim Ball
Vineyards, La Crema, Lazy Creek Vineyards, Lioco Wines, Littorai,
Londer Vineyards, MacPhail, Navarro Vineyards, Phillips Hill Estates,
Philo Ridge Vineyards, Raye’s Hill, Roederer Estate, Roessler Cellars,
Saintsbury, Scharffenberger Cellars, Standish Wine Co., Toulouse
Vineyards, Waits-Mast Family Cellars, Woodenhead and Zina Hyde
Cunningham.
On Saturday evening wineries from both near and far will join
together to host winemaker dinners in Anderson Valley and on the
Mendocino Coast. This year’s planned dinners include: Scharffenberger
Cellars and Navarro Vineyards at the Boonville Hotel; Goldeneye
Winery, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards and Toulouse Vineyards at
Café Beaujolais in Mendocino; and several additional dinners to be
announced as the event nears.
The weekend will conclude on Sunday, May 16 with open houses
at Anderson Valley wineries, featuring special tastings, educational
talks, music and food (a list of winery open houses will be found at
www.avwines.com/store, closer to the event).
For additional information about the event, visit the AVWA website
at www.avwines.com or contact them at (707) 895-WINE or
info@avwines.com.
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