Er mogen maar 350 proevers binnen. Dus dat wordt dringen voor die Pinot Noir Summit op 25 februari in San Francisco. De lijst van inzenders staat nog niet op internet. Maar dat er veel Amerikaanse en Canadese inzendingen zullen zijn, valt te voorzien. De voorberichten zijn summier. Liefhebbers die de hele wereld afreizen voor dit soort evenementen moeten maar zien hoe ze aan gedetailleerde informatie komen. De entreeprijs voor die dag is in ieder geval bekend: 130 dollar. En er is, niet onbelangrijk, parkeerruimte voor eigen luchtvervoer.

Het bericht dat wij er, met als bron Affairs of the Vine, over ontvingen luidt als volgt:

“A select group of wine lovers will be wowed by the ultimate Pinot Noir experience.
On Saturday, February 25, 2012 Pinot Noir lovers will gather for the remarkable 10th Pinot Noir Summit hosted by Affairs of the Vine at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District.

The Pinot Noir Summit attracts wine lovers from the consumer, media and trade segments. Attendees have the opportunity to pit their palates against the expert judging panel at the Pinot Noir Showdown, attend a Pinot Noir Workshop, enjoy wines made from Pinot Noir at the Sparkling Wine Reception, and attend the Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony.

Pinot Noir Summit Agenda

Pinot Noir Showdown ~ A Blind Tasting
1:30-4:00 PM ~ A distinctly different format and atmosphere from other wine-tasting events, attendees blind taste and judge 40 of the top wines. Male and female votes are tallied separately and announced at the Grand Awards Ceremony.

Pinot Noir Workshops
4:15-5:15 PM
Ellen Landis, Moderator ~ "Sleek, Silky and Seductive - Pinot Noir"
Sid Sall, Moderator ~ "What Makes a Great Vintage"

Sparkling Wine Tasting
5:30-6:00 PM - Wines That Dance on Your Tongue ~ Sparkling Wine Reception includes an international selection of cheeses and other tasty tidbits.

Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony
6:00 -8:30 PM - The Bay Area's favorite meteorologist and celebrated wine aficionado, Spencer Christian of KGO/ABC, will emcee the 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 by wine lover Christian at 8:00 PM.

Saturday, February 25, 2012
The 10th Pinot Noir Summit
Hilton San Francisco Financial District
All-Day Ticket $130 per person - Full Day: 1:30-8:30 PM (includes The Final Showdown ... A Blind Tasting, Pinot Noir Workshop, Sparkling Wine Reception, Pinot Noir Shootout Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony

The Pinot Noir Summit is produced by Chief Wine Evangelist, Barbara Drady and Affairs of the Vine, the Sonoma-based company dedicated to converting people to wine.

Attendance is limited. Only 350 tickets will be sold to wine lovers who are passionate about Pinot Noir.

Winners will be announced at The Pinot Noir Summit at 8:00 p.m. on February 25, 2012.