Successful Wine Festival Expands with New Events & Wineries
Fresh Eddie Productions is pleased to announce that the 4th Annual Palm Springs Pinot Noir Festival – aka “Passion 4 Pinot” – will take place Friday, February 2, and Saturday, February 3, 2024, at the Westin Rancho Mirage Golf Resort & Spa.
Passion 4 Pinot is the largest Pinot Noir tasting event in Southern California, drawing attendees from all over the United States. With 80 notable California Pinot Noir-producing wineries pouring more than 225 top-tier Pinot Noir wines, the festival showcases the varietal as well as the artists and craft behind it.
Passion 4 Pinot is a celebration of Pinot Noir – a wine varietal that has developed a dedicated following over the years. The festival will showcase brilliant and talented winemakers, vineyards, grapes, and the often-bewitching process of transforming the noble Pinot grape into premier wine.
“These wineries have achieved a stellar reputation for producing truly outstanding and highly sought-after Pinot Noir,” said Fresh Eddie Productions Event Producer, David Fraschetti. “They will be pouring their amazing cult classic collectible wines and educating guests – from wine lovers to novices alike – about the labor of love that is winemaking.”
“We are expecting another sell-out for this popular event that has built a significant following of Pinot Noir wine lovers over the years since the festival began,” added Fraschetti.
The festival kicks off on Friday, February 2, with two wine seminars that will begin simultaneously at 11:00 a.m. and offer the perfect blend of learning and tasting. The Bubbles, Bubbles and More Bubbles Seminar features outstanding California sparkling wines. Award-winning winemakers, Dianna Novy of Flaunt Wine Company, Sarah Wuethrich of Maggy Hawk and Arnaud Weyrich from Roederer Estate are joining forces to explore an amazing selection of their sparkling wines hailing from Sonoma and Mendocino County. The seminar will be moderated by Katie Finn, sommelier and owner of Desert Wine Shop.
The West Sonoma Coast AVA All-Star Tasting Panel seminar will feature the wines of Sonoma County’s newest AVA: West Sonoma Coast. Farmed at expansive elevations – from sea level to 1,400 ft., these wines are uniquely wild and expertly tamed by some of the true pioneers of the rugged Sonoma Coast winegrowing region. This panel tasting seminar will have 5 of the best Pinot producers from West Sonoma Coast AVA: Andy Peay, Peay Vineyards; Bob Cabral, Bob Cabral Wines; Ryan Prichard, Three Sticks Wines; Ross Cobb, Cobb Wines; Jennifer Downing, Boar’s View.
Later that evening on February 2, exclusive ‘wine and dine’ experiences will be featured, which are more intimate and have limited availability. Each wine dinner is themed, and offers the opportunity to meet winemakers, sample new vintages, and learn more about the regions where the grapes are produced – all while enjoying a 4-course gourmet meal. The CIRQ Estate and CHEV Wines Winemaker Dinner will be held at 6:00 p.m. at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Rancho Mirage. The Sangiacomo Family Vineyards Winemaker Dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Palm Springs.
On Saturday, February 3, the festival will feature the Grand Tasting Event from 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. at the Westin Golf Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage in the Grand Ballroom. This festival is a uniquely engaging experience where enthusiasts can interact with wine makers and winery owners by asking questions and learning the stories behind what goes into making great California Pinot Noir. Sophisticated casual dress is suggested for this upscale event.
“The success of the festival has inspired its continued growth, and we are thrilled to be adding the new wine dinner events,” explained Fraschetti. “The ‘wine and dine’ experiences allow Pinot aficionados to share an intimate meal with fellow Pinot lovers while discovering what makes Pinot Noir so unique.”
The beneficiary of the proceeds from the online silent auction will be Fresh Eddie Futures, which provides scholarships to students majoring in the fields of Enology and Viticulture.
Tickets are now on sale for both the Friday experiences and for the Saturday Grand Tasting Event, and can be purchased online at palmspringspinotfest.com. Tickets for the Grand Tasting Event range from $135-$225. For the winemaker dinners, tickets are $190 including tax and gratuity. Participation in either wine seminar – which includes tastings – is $125 per person.
For a complete list of events and participating wineries, visit palmspringspinotfest.com.
ABOUT PALM SPRINGS PINOT NOIR FESTIVAL
Now in its fourth year, the Palm Springs Pinot Noir Festival celebrates the superb Pinot Noirs from the top wine producing regions in California and all those – from novice to connoisseur – who enjoy this unique and delicious grape and seek to learn more about it.
