The International Pinot noir Celebration (IPNC) held during the last weekend in July in McMinnville, pays tribute to Oregon’s most revered grape. The participating wineries are chosen after a panel of judges taste all wine submissions blind. This prevents any preconceived biases or packaging from influencing the expert tasters.
While the primary focus is on Oregon producers, IPNC stays true to its name and celebrates Pinot noir produced from across the globe. Seventy wineries from as far away as Austria and New Zealand were selected for this year’s IPNC, the 27th of its kind.
For three days, participants travel from winery to winery, walking the vineyards in order to fully understand how our cool climate, soil and overall terroir influences Pinot noir. They are treated to elegant meals prepared by featured chefs from the Pacific Northwest, a real who’s who in the world of foodies. Since Pinot noir is such a versatile wine, its goes beautifully with many different foods.
This year’s keynote speaker is Terry Theise, author & filmmaker of Reading Between the Wines as well as specialty wine importer with a portfolio focused on Austria, Germany & Champagne. Theise also waxes poetic in his much anticipated annual wine catalogs, alternating between callous language and an expressive eloquence clearly written by a man smitten with wine. No doubt it will be one unforgettable keynote speech.
If you are a pinot oenophile, sadly, tickets are already sold out for both the full weekend pass and the legendary Salmon Bake. But Sunday afternoon’s Passport to Pinot event on July 28th from 2-5pm still has a limited number of tickets available.
Here’s a list of the 2013 IPNC participating wineries:
AUSTRALIA
10 Minutes By Tractor
AUSTRIA
Hillinger
CALIFORNIA, USA
Acacia
Anthill Farms
Bonaccorsi Wine Company
Breggo Cellars
Cakebread Cellars
Edna Valley Vineyard
Etude
Failla
Flowers Vineyard & Winery
Gainey Vineyard
Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
Hirsch Vineyards
Kutch Wines
Laetitia Vineyard & Winery
Saintsbury
Sojourn Cellars
CANADA
Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars
Norman Hardie Winery
FRANCE
Maison Ambroise
Domaine Arnoux Peré & Fils
Domaine Charles Audoin
Bachelder Borgogne
Domaine Champy
Domaine Clos de la Chapelle
Domaine des Clos
Domaine Cyrot-Buthiau
Evening Land Vineyards au Chateau de Bligny
Domaine Gille
Domaine Jean Grivot
Domaine Marc Roy
Domaine Nicolas Rossignol
Aurelien Verdet
GERMANY
Ziereisen
NEW ZEALAND
Bell Hill Vineyard
Nautilus Estate
Pegasus Bay Winery
OREGON, USA
Adelsheim Vineyard
Amalie Robert Estate
Amity Vineyards
Anam Cara Cellars
Antica Terra
Argyle Winery
Ayres Vineyard
Belle Pente Vineyard & Winery
Bethel Heights Vineyard
Big Table Farm
Brick House Wine Co.
Carabella Vineyard
Cristom
De Ponte Cellars
Elk Cove Vineyards
Erath Winery
JK Carriere
Lemelson Vineyards
Longplay Wine
Lumos Wine Co.
Lundeen Wines
Matello Wines
Matzinger-Davies Wine Co.
Montinore Estate
Patton Valley Vineyard
Ponzi Vineyards
Raptor Ridge Winery
Sass Winery
Solena Estate
Soter Vineyards
Tendril Wine Cellars
Trisaetum
Van Duzer Vineyards
WillaKenzie Estate
Winderlea Vineyard & Winery
Witness Tree Vineyard