By Rick Riozza
The news just continues to get better for us Pinot Noir lovers: the allure of Pinot has us really bad—and that’s really good!
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. Unfortunately, all of the wine seminars and wine dinners scheduled for Friday, February 2nd are sold out. So attention please!! You must get your tickets for the Grand Tasting immediately, as they are limited, and the event for the past four years sells out!! palmspringspinotfest.com.
Passion 4 Pinot is the largest Pinot Noir tasting event in Southern California, and the premier event on the international wine calendar. 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.
Hosted in one of the world’s most dramatic and awe-inspiring Hotels, this is a unique opportunity to engage with 80 of the top winery owners and winemakers and other leading wine personalities and enthusiasts from all over California.
I know many of you readers attended last year’s Grand Tasting and found the event to be the best Pinot Noir tasting of the year—and the year had just begun. Playing out again, is this the best way to start 2024, or what!!
As this column has written previously, we’ve come to know wine promoter & producer Dave Frashcetti who has been at the helm of this annual Pinot Fest. The event has become so popular within and beyond the wine community. Incredibly it’s become a winter event destination that plays in the ranks of the BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament in Indian Wells and the Amex PGA Tour in La Quinta!
As to the Pinot Fest, Dave comments, “Unlike other events, we are not trying to be everything to everyone; our focus is on great Pinot Noir,”
I’ve spoken with Dave, and his wine cup continues to runneth-over with fresh exuberance. “I learned many years ago that when it comes to wine festivals, bigger is not better. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Those who have attended my events before know that our event is a first class fun event that is designed for all types of wine lovers, from novices to expert Somms. It’s not snobbish; it’s a fun-filled afternoon that allows one to learn, taste and fall in love with amazing Pinot Noir from the best that California has to offer.”
“The wineries that are participating with us have achieved a stellar reputation for producing truly outstanding and highly sought-after Pinot Noir,” Dave continues, “They will be pouring their amazing cult classic collectible wines and educating guests, from wine lovers to novices alike—it’s all about the talent of excellent winemaking.”
Although we had to share the unfortunate news that all of Friday’s February 2nd wine events have sold out, it’s good for your wine enthusiasts to see what the annual Pinot event offers, so you will make sure to put this event on your calendars by this summer’s end when tickets for the 2025 event go on sale. Be smart! Do you part now and enjoy the fruits of your efforts with world class wine and activities next year!
This Friday, February 2, two wine seminars include, Bubbles, Bubbles and More Bubbles Seminar featuring outstanding California sparkling wines. Award-winning winemakers from Flaunt Wine Company, Maggy Hawk, and Roederer Estate will be speaking about their amazing selection of sparklers hailing from Sonoma and Mendocino County.
And the other is a Tasting Panel seminar that 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. Top Pinot producers from the new AVA will be there to speak and taste their wines.
Later that evening on February 2, exclusive ‘wine and dine’ experiences will be featured. 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.
This year, the CIRQ Estate and CHEV Wines Winemaker Dinner and the Sangiacomo Family Vineyards Winemaker Dinner are to be held at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Palm Springs.
Now here’s the wine event you and your guests can attend!! 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. And to encourage you to get your tickets immediately, Dave has granted you Vino Voice readers $25 off Early Entry Admission by using the Promotion Code: Vino Voice. To purchase tickets and view the complete list of participating wineries, visit palmspringspinotfest.com.
With over 80 world class wineries participating, who can pick a favorite!! Some of our favorites include: Papaprieto Perry: Located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley, they specialize in small lots of handcrafted, single-vineyard designate Pinot Noir, and Rosé of Pinot Noir produced from the finest grapes Sonoma County has to offer.
Dutton-Goldfield Winery began with a handshake in a vineyard in 1998, when longtime colleagues and friends Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield recognized a shared vision between them—to craft wines that express the personalities of their cool-climate vineyards and which are made to love.
Williams Selyem wines have achieved world-class status and have helped to propel the Russian River Valley to fame as one of the best wine growing regions in the world. Williams Selyem was served at the White House as early as 1995, and was the first American pinot noir to receive a perfect score of 100 points.
See you there! Cheers!
