Pinot Noir Celebration brings together winemakers from around the globe

OREGON—There's just something about Pinot Noir that inspires near fanaticism in both winemakers and wine drinkers. Some say it’s the inherent difficulty of growing the grapes that makes the reward all the sweeter. Others insist that, unlike other grapes, Pinot Noir holds the imprint of the grower and winemaker like no other varietal. Whatever the case, hordes of Pinot lovers will converge in Oregon's Willamette Valley this July to celebrate their passion for this amazing grape.

The International Pinot Noir Celebration has grown, over the past two decades, from a small gathering of a group of Oregon winemakers into one of the most notable wine festivals of the year, featuring Pinot Noir makers from Oregon, California, Canada, Chile, France and beyond. It's one of the few opportunities to taste both Old and New World Pinots side by side in such an amazing setting.
The event includes several days of seminars, tastings, tours and meals with some sixty international Pinot makers on the campus of Linfield College. In addition, culinary luminaries from throughout the Pacific Northwest will create sumptuous meals to perfectly pair with the many wines.

If you go:
The IPNC takes place July 28-30, 2006 at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. Tickets for the 2006 are sold out; however, there are still tickets for the Passport to Pinot, which will include tastings of the 2003 and 2004 vintages, poured by thirty of the featured winemakers. The ticket price of $125 includes a tasting of sixty wines poured for you by the winemakers, food prepared by our guest chefs and a Riedel Crystal commemorative glass.