
Russian River Valley Winegrowers Association sign @ Shiloh Hill Vineyard (Photo credit: northbaywanderer)

From the Esterlina Tasting Room in Mendocino County California, an assortment of Pinot noir wines. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Do you love Pinot Noir? Get tickets for the 8th annual Pinot Days Festival at Navy Pier.
“The Grand Tasting will showcase 65 acclaimed pinot producers across the country (from the Russian River Valley to Oregon, Carneros to the Santa Lucia Highlands and beyond), with more than 100 pinots to taste.”
Each wine is poured by its winemaker!
When & Where:
Chicago Navy Pier
Lakeview Terrace Room,
600 E Grand Ave # 115
Pinot Days is the largest gathering of Pinot Noir producers in the world. Pinot Noir winemakers will be pouring hundreds of exceptional pinots that are stylistically diverse regions like California’s Russian River Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
Pinot Days Principle
“Pinot Days is the largest gathering of Pinot Noir producers in the world. It has to be; pinot noir is exceptionally stylistically diverse, and our aim is to give every pinot lover a place to “go deep” within the style you love. And, if you’re open to venturing outside of your comfort zone, you can learn about, and quite possibly love, other styles as well. To this end we gather hundreds of pinot noir winemakers to pour hundreds of pinots that range from the picture of elegance to forward and “wow.” You can’t try them all – don’t try – it’s not the point! The point is to follow your palate like a North Star, and experience this beautiful little grape in as many forms and styles as compel you. It is an endless pursuit of knowledge. So, ignore the critics; ask folks in the crowd, “Who have you tried? What do you like?” Pinot noir is way more than a grape variety – it’s an art form. It is an endlessly fascinating intellectual and aesthetic pursuit for people who want to savor the good things in life. So we invite the world to Pinot Days, because pinot noir can change the world, one pretty, little, thin-skinned grape at a time.” www.pinotdays
Participating Exhibitors-
Aberrant Cellars, Ancient Oak Cellars, August
West, Benziger Family Winery, Buena Vista Winery, Cartograph,
Cornerstone Cellars Oregon, Davis Bynum Wines, Davis Family Vineyards,
DeLoach Vineyards, Dutton-Goldfield Winery, EIEIO & Company, Fess Parker
Winery & Vineyard, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, Hahn Estate,
Hilliard Bruce Winery, Inman Family Wines, J Vineyards & Winery,
Katherine Anne Confections, Keller Estate, Kendric Vineyards,
Kessler-Haak Wines, Landmark Vineyards, MacPhail Family Wines,
Mansfield-Dunne Wines, Martinelli Winery, McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil, Mystic
Shire, New Zealand Winegrowers, Omero Cellars, On the Avenue Marketing,
Pali Wine Company, Ritual, RTV, Saintsbury, Sojourn Cellars, Stoller
Vineyards, Thomas Fogarty Winery, Trombetta Family Wines, Van Duzer
Vineyards, Willakenzie Estate Winery, Wren Hop Vineyards, Yelp
Tickets: www.pinotdays.com
Try some Pinot Noir from the Oregon ure 10 Oregon pinot producers in a specially designated area. This will be the largest presence of Oregon pinot producers ever gathered at a California wine festival.
The alluring aroma and seductive color and texture of Pinot Noir makes it one of my favorite wines. This elegant and complex wine is made from Pinot Noir grapes that thrive in a very specific micro-climate with sunny, warm days and cool foggy nights.
These California vines prosper in the well-drained slope of Goldridge loam soil and enjoy a long Indian summer in the Russian River Valley. The grapes are harvested in the cool pre-dawn darkness to conserve grape flavor and acidity.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the predominant varietals grown in about a 200 square-mile prestigious American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Sonoma County, California called the Russian River Valley. The area is shaded by majestic redwood trees. For more information visit www.pinotdays.com.

Vineyards in the California wine region of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Sample over 100 pinot noir wines from every important region, from the Russian River Valley to the Santa Rita Hills, Oregon to the Anderson Valley to the Sonoma Coast. Come to Navy Pier to taste these highly acclaimed wines, meet the gifted and charming winemakers who create them, and experience the passion and romance that the pinot noir industry continues to embody. We call it Serious Fun. Come see for yourself.”
Dr. EveAnn Lovero writes Travel Guides @ www.vino-con-vista.com