Santa Barbara by the Glass by Gabe Saglie Gabe Saglie has been covering the Santa Barbara wine scene for more than 15 years through columns, TV and radio. He’s a senior editor with Travelzoo and is a leading expert on travel deals, tips and trends. Gabe and wife Renee have 3 children and one Golden Retriever named Milo
Pinot Noir All Month Long: Famous Annual Wine Event Goes Virtual
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inot noir lovers normally have the first weekend in March highlighted on their calendars. After all, it’s a weekend usually dedicated to the World of Pinot Noir (WOPN), the annual gathering of winemakers and wine consumers who fete Burgundy’s most famous red grape. Launched in 2001, the event has been held at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in Goleta since 2014, drawing more than 3,000 thirsty oenophiles from all over the world. This year, of course, COVID-19 had other plans for WOPN (pronounced “whoppin’” by those in the know). There will be no mingling with winemakers, no hands-on tastings, no sitdown dinners. Creativity prevails, however, and technology delivers. This year, WOPN is claiming the entire month of March, and it’s going virtual. “Attendees often say they’d love even more content and more
opportunities for intimate experiences with winemakers,” said Laura Booras, the CEO of Riverbench Vineyards in Santa Maria and president of the WOPN board. “This year, we actually have an opportunity to grow these opportunities.” As WOPN goes from in-person to online, consumers will have several chances every week to get up close and personal with pinot noir – and all through live events broadcast across Zoom, Instagram, and Facebook. Wednesdays, for example, are dedicated to the WOPN Wine Case Experience, where guests buy a case of rare, hand-selected pinots then join a 30-minute Zoom chat at 5 pm for a guided tasting session and discussion. The 12-bottle compilation ($600 with a retail value of $800) features toughto-get-your-hands-on finds from regions all over the globe. Some of the
Matthew Pifer, MD
California standouts include BrewerClifton’s 2016 Machado Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, a 93-point winner from Wine Spectator, and Eden Rift’s 2018 Landsdale Cienega Valley Pinot Noir, christened with 94 points by Robert Parker. The series is hosted by Master Sommelier David Glancy, founder of the San Francisco Wine School.
Learn About Famed Growing Zones
Thursdays feature deep-dive tasting seminars that highlight the growing
This year, World of Pinot Noir is claiming the entire month of March, and it’s going entirely virtual
zones behind some of California’s best pinot noir wines, including the famed Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley and vineyards of the Santa Lucia Highlands near Monterey. The seminar on Thursday, March 18, spotlights Sonoma County’s diverse sub-regions, such as the Russian River Valley and the Petaluma Gap, through a winemaker panel conversation and a tasting of wines that guests pre-order for home delivery, including Banshee, La Crema, and EnRoute. Prices for
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