World of Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara -on location

Tasting Rombauer Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Pacific Ocean views.

I was given the opportunity to attend the annual World of Pinot Noir event last month which brings together the foremost Pinot Noir wineries and winemakers from around the world in a weekend-long celebration of this enticing wine. Champagne to Bourgogne in France, down under wines from Tasmania in Australia, Pinot focused wineries in South America, and all along America's premium West Coast Pinot regions including Santa Barbara, Russian River Valley, up to Willamette Valley, this is truly a celebration of Pinot Noir from around the world. 

A Grand Tasting of Pinot Noir at the Ritz Carlton Bacara. Though the house was full ,it was still easy to maneuver to the different tasting tables to sip with the many winemakers on the floor.

Attendees have the opportunity to enjoy tasting classes, paired winemaker lunches and dinners, and two Grand Tastings in the refined comfort of the Ritz Carlton Bacara Hotel in Goleta, CA. Drinking world class Pinot Noir while enjoying Pacific Ocean views in the Santa Barbara wine region is definitely a fantastic experience for any wine lover. Pinot Noir aficionados can stay extra days and sip through the local tasting rooms or visit some of the many Pinot Noir producers in the region, as well.

Panelists for Legacy tasting included David Millman of Domaine Drouhin - Oregon,
Laura Catena with Domaine Nico in Argentina, Ray Isle from Food & Wine who moderated, Tessa Gorsuch from Martinelli Vineyards & Winery, and Michael Fay from Chateau de la Crée in Bourgogne and Domaine Serene in Oregon.

This event is held annually. The pictures seen here are from the 2024 World Pinot event held last week from February 29-March 2. I attended two seminars, two lunches, and two Grand Tastings. Though there are also paired dinners on the schedule, they sold out quickly so, every evening, I went out to try some of the highly rated local restaurants that I wanted to visit.

The Legacy Generational Library Tasting was moderated by Ray Isle of For & Wine magazine with winemakers from multi-generational family wineries.

My seminars were "The Legacy Generational Library Tasting - Know Your Winemaker" and "Bubbles and Bites: A Journey Around the World". The seminars are educational regardless of your level of wine knowledge and featured winemakers and wines from boutique, luxury producers to larger, more well known wineries. 

The Bubbles and Bites seminar and tasting featured eight Pinot Noir sparklers like the Rosé from benchmark Champagne producer Laurent-Perrier to the newly released Sea Spray from the highly allocated Sea Smoke Vineyard with paired bites topped with gourmet additions like caviar and truffles.

The multi-course and paired lunches I attended were the Domaine Della 10th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon at the onsite Angel Oak Bluff Restaurant which featured a single winery and their new releases with the owner and his family hosting and the Women of Russian River Valley Luncheon which was set up in the Rotunda and featured multiple women winemakers with their wines.

The second course of four which featured a 32 hour braised short rib with charred heirloom carrots st the Domaine Della lunch.

Timing your visit to taste the local wine with this event gives wine drinkers the opportunity to taste the fantastic wines of the area with a bonus taste of Pinot Noirs from all over the planet, this taste of the world should be on every Pinot lovers wine travel bucket list.  

Follow @worldofpinot on Instagram to find out when to plan your trip for next year.