There are Pinot Noir lovers, who are passionate about the enticing dark wine, and there are the aficionados, who seem committed to knowing this variety of the red Burgundy. But neither of them go to the extent to show their love for the wine like the romantic Pinot lover does!

Yes, we say romantic Pinot lovers as they make the sensuous wine their purpose to travel, that’s how much they love their Pinot Noir! And there are two great reasons to do that yourself – some fantastic Pinot Noir festivals around the world are one and two, wine is good for health; you knew this one!

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In this article, we give you a list of some must-attend Pinot Noir festivals, which can make you fall in love with the wine. If you are still warming up to Pinot Noirs, these festivals are a great place to learn more about the wine, understand food pairings, taste different Pinots from around the world and socialise with other Pinot enthusiasts. If you are used to such events, we also list the highlights of each festival in the list, giving you a reason to visit them. Our list includes festivals in countries that are also great destinations to travel with your spouse and children.

New Zealand

The scenic country of New Zealand attracts beach lovers, adventure enthusiasts and skiers from around the world. The distinct flavours of the country’s Pinot Noir are a new-found reason for many wine lovers.

The Central Otago Pinot Noir Festival

It is one of the finest events in the world, hosting wine enthusiasts, top winemakers from the region and many prominent personalities from the Pinot industry.

At this three-day festival, you can gain a deeper understanding of the Pinot produced here, participate in master classes, and enjoy Pinot tastings and food pairing sessions. With so much to do here, your better half would also see the glass half full.

• When: January 2020
• Where: Otago
• Highlight: Master classes
• Other places to visit in NZ:
  • Queenstown for adventure sports, Tongariro National Park for Maori sites and volcanic spots, Waiheke Island for more wine and vineyards, Huka Falls, Doubtful Sound for exploring marine life on boat cruises, and Mount Aspiring National Park that was used as a Hobbiton movie set, among others
  • Owing to the cultural diversity of the country, you can explore a wide range of dishes from different cuisines, and also easily avail of desi Indian dishes, Jain food, halal meat and many vegetarian options

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United States of America

The beautiful and diverse landscape of America, its history and culture, and countless avenues of entertainment, can mean plenty of opportunities to enjoy a great holiday here. However, since secretly the holiday is about you and the Pinot, let us straight away come to the ‘Point’ (it’s the same as ‘Pinot’, only jumbled up).

Talking about wines, you may immediately think of the Napa Valley near San Francisco. But some of the best Pinot Noirs come from Oregon and lands around California. However, thankfully, you can enjoy a variety of Pinots from around the world at most of the festivals conducted here.

The World of Pinot Noir

The event literally brings the bold wine’s producers from around the world to introduce enthusiasts like you to some of their exquisite Pinots. You get to attend educational seminars and tastings, gourmet extravaganzas, enlightening excursions and many other interesting programs hosted in attendance with some world-famous chefs and some of USA’s best sommeliers.

• When: March, 2020
• Where: Central Coast of California
• Highlights: Gourmet delights and attendance of renowned chefs and sommeliers
• Things to do in Central California:
  • With 350 miles of glorious beaches and mind-blowing coastal cliffs, the central coast is perfect for all kinds of tourists
  • You and your family can visit the Gilroy Garden’s Family Theme Park, the Santa Barbara Zoo or spend time at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, watching some rare and exotic species of birds, whales, seals, sea lions, and others
  • For adults, a visit to the Estrella Warbirds Museum at Paso Robles that houses military aviation aircrafts and the Woodland Auto display and the Museum of Ventura County can be exciting
  • You can travel on-board the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner or take a road trip in a rented classic car of your choice

La Paulée de New York

They will celebrate their 20th year in 2020. The La Paulée, held at San Francisco or NY, is a Burgundian celebration like no other. It’s an exclusive four-day program around some impressive venues, hosting some of the best tastings you would have ever been to. It also includes seminars around the red Burgundy and grand luncheons and dinners with renowned vignerons and wine connoisseurs. Reservations are made at least a year in advance.

• When: March, 2020
• Where: New York
• Highlight: Known for hosting one of the best tasting sessions.
• Things to do in New York:
  • You can visit the world-famous museums, attend concerts or Broadway shows, take cruises or go for the hop-on hop-off tours
  • NYC is also famous for its shopping avenues and nightlife
  • Don’t miss the various zoos in and around NYC if you are with your young ones

The Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival

It combines a celebration of Pinot with a casual BBQ, a grand tasting, insightful seminars, winemaker dinners and live music (subject to changes). The venue is the scenic vineyards of Anderson Valley, amidst tall redwood trees. The Grand Tasting includes a variety of seafood and cheese and also plenty of vegetarian dishes.

• When: Mostly in May 2020
• Where: Anderson alley, near San Francisco
• Highlights: A picnic-like vibe, a chance to experience BBQ pairings with Pinot and vegetarian-friendly dishes
• Things to do in San Francisco:
  • Explore the nightlife, the food and wine in SF
  • You can also go for SF excursions and helicopter or balloon tours, try some outdoor activities like biking through the streets or mountains, sail with professionals, or go on one of the sightseeing cruises
  • If wine is still on your mind, there are day tours from SF to the Napa valley and Sonoma County vineyards that are totally worth the time

The Paso Pinot and Paella Festival

This one is nothing short of a picnic by the vineyard, and yet, the celebration is as graceful as the Paso Robles Pinot itself. While popular chefs cook innovative and Pinot-friendly paella dishes, you can go around tasting some of the local Paso Robles Pinots and talking to the makers at length. The fiesta has a great vibe with live jazz music and pleasant weather, offering you a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a day with your Pinot and partner (in that order).

• When: June 2020
• Where: Paso Robles
• Highlight: Pinot and Paella, need we say more?

Pinot in the City held in Chicago, showcases some remarkable and many signature Pinots produced by 60 wineries from Willamette Valley, Oregon. Hosted by Morgan Manufacturing, the event is set to feature a selection of library wines and current releases alongside an array of delectable bites that are specially prepared to match the high-quality Pinot Noirs.

A line up of many small, great events, across the city are planned to quench Chicago’s thirst for Pinot Noir. From walk-around tasting sessions to four-course dinners, the week-long program gives you plenty of opportunities to get a lowdown on the story behind Oregon’s Pinot.

• When: July 2019
• Where: Chicago
• Highlight: Choicest of Pinots and some amazing locations of Chicago
• Things to do in Chicago:
  • Top attractions in Chicago include the Millennium Park, the Chicago Observation Deck, the Chicago History Museum and the American Writers Museum, among others
  • The Lincoln Park Zoo, the Chicago Botanic Garden, the 606 Trail and the Navy Pier are great sites for children

Pinot on the River

A Day of Pinot Noir on the Healdsburg Plaza is an annual event held at the quaint Russian River Valley town of Healdsburg in California. The festival celebrates and highlights the Pinot Noirs of the West Coast. With over 60 wineries serving their brand of Pinots alongside artisan food counters, the event makes for a great way to mingle, taste and know the wines and their makers.

• When: October 2019
• Where: California
• Highlight: The location itself

The Pinot Days San Francisco Grand Festival

The event truly celebrates everything Pinot! With Pinot as the core theme, the festival is an opportunity for Pinot Noir fans to gain knowledge and hear stories about the character wine right from their producers.

Besides the exclusive and public tastings, there are various other small events spread across venues around the city; the outdoor wine extravaganza being the most popular one. The Grand Festival on the last day brings an end to the event, which is perhaps the only one committed to making Pinot Noir more popular.

• When: November 2019
• Where: San Francisco
• Highlight: The outdoor wine extravaganza
• Other attractions in the USA: The Grand Canyon, the lava-oozing Kilauea Island, the Niagara Falls, the Mammoth Cave National Park, the Yosemite National Park, the San Diego Zoo, Disney Land, Universal Studio Theme Park at Orlando, Las Vegas and the islands of Hawaii

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Australia

Pinot Celebration Australia

The theme-based event is hosted by the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association. While the 2020 program is yet to be declared, the 2019 event was based on the stories and journeys of the Pinot Noirs produced in different parts of the world, including the Mornington Peninsula.

Apart from the usual tasting sessions, the itinerary included the discovery of different materials such as, oak, roses and chocolate, which lend the enigmatic wine its unique character. There were also writers, who had at length written about Pinot Noirs, and discussed their inspirations behind their work.

• When: February 2020
• Highlight: Information on Pinot Noirs

The Pinot Palooza

It is a day-long event held across different countries, in different months every year. Considered to be the world’s largest Pinot Noir festival, Pinot Palooza invites Pinot lovers to savour some of the best varieties from America, France, Australia, New Zealand and Italy.

• When: May to December every year
• Where: Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo
• Highlight: The outdoor wine extravaganza

Please note that some of the venues may not allow children.

Also, some event plans of 2020 stated here are based on the programs held in 2019 and are subject to change.

Disclaimer- The suggestions provided in the article do not imply endorsement, recommendations, or favouring of any product or services. Readers are advised to use their own discretion. Any assumptions made in the analysis are those of the author and are not reflective of the position or policy of M3 India. Views are subject to revision and rethinking at any time.