Supple and sexy, Pinot Noir is luxuriously exquisite and elegant. Pinot Noir is arguably the ultimate food pairing wine. The celebrated red wines of the French district of Burgundy are produced from Pinot Noir.

The popularity of Pinot Noir can be attributed to three things: its intoxicating complexity and depth; its remarkable versatility with food; and a movie that emerged out of nowhere known as SIDEWAYS that exploded onto screens and captured the hearts and minds of wine lovers and aspiring wine lovers.

Crafting great Pinot Noir is by no means an easy task for even the most accomplished winemaker. No single varietal is more temperamental or difficult to guide through the challenge of winemaking. The process can easily go off course, or sideways, and in an attempt to fix the problem, the remedy often compounds the issue further. Many experienced winemakers have turned prematurely gray due to the unique challenges posed by this finicky grape.

Pinot Noir lovers are seldom at a loss for words to describe this alluring wine. Flavors and aromas run the full spectrum and can include black cherry, raspberry, cranberry, fresh strawberry, Bing cherry, and blueberry. Often found in the aromatics of fine offerings are rose petal, cinnamon, vanilla, anise, black pepper, lavender, mushroom, forest floor, and an array of assorted spices.

The aromas and flavors are only the beginning…the mouth feel of good Pinot Noir is often rich and silky if not outright velvety.

Don’t expect dark inky colors like you find in Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel. Pinot Noir color can range from a light red almost rose to a deep garnet. The flavors are as uniquely distinct as are the aromas. Pinot Noir at its best is sexy; elegant, smooth and velvety on the tongue…”satin sheets in a bottle.”

Pinot Noir uniquely reflects the characteristics of its growing climate, soils, and surroundings like no other varietal. It is difficult to describe all the flavors and styles as there are more than 1000 different Pinot Noir clones that produce a wide variety of styles from jammy, “in your face” wines, to delicately complex wines with all possible combinations in between.

When drinking Pinot Noir, look to its elegance. Savor the bouquet as its aromas are the window to soul of this wine. The balance and complex layering of flavors will envelop your senses. Let its sexiness entice you while it caresses your palate!

It may be the day after Valentine’s Day but Pinot Noir is good 365 days a year.

Begin an Affair with these great wines at The 10th Annual Pinot Noir Summit!

The 10th Pinot Noir Shootout judging panel reviewed and analyzed over 460 Pinot Noirs. more than any previous year by over 100.

The competition this year was very rigorous. The Pinot Noirs we received were fantastic. The bar for the competition was set high with so many excellent wines. The judges took a firm stand. They elected to award gold and silver medals to the top wines but awarded no bronze medals. If the wine didn’t rate a precious metal award, there was no medal at all.

What’s it like to be a Pinot Noir judge?

Monique Soltani of Wine Oh TV reports from the 9th Pinot Noir Summit.

The judging panel did confer 28 Honorable Mentions in addition to the Gold and Silver awards.

Wines that did not receive recognition by the judges will not be listed on this website. It is our firm belief that negative reviews are not what you are seeking.

So many amazing wines.

If you LOVE Pinot Noir, xperience these terrific wines at the 10th Pinot Noir Summit.

 The Challenges

There were two major challenges in the Bay Area this past weekend. The Niners vs The Giants at Candlestick and The Cabernet Shootout Challenge at The Winery SF on Treasure Island.

You’re undoubtedly familiar with the NFC Championship game.

The Cabernet Shootout Challenge had a better outcome if you’re a Bay Area fan.

Both were incredibly exciting. 49ers fans are both saddened and proud. Sad that the season has come to an end but very proud of the brilliant season orchestrated by rookie head coach, Jim Harbaugh.

In the NFC Championship, there could only be one winner. Not so at The Cabernet Shootout Challenge.

The Cabernet Shootout has numerous winners and you can pick your favorites to enjoy again and again.

The Cabernet Shootout Challenge, attended by 335 Cabernet enthusiasts – consumers, press and trade, was a remarkable event hosted by the Bay Area Wine Society in partnership with Affairs of the Vine at The Winery SF on Treasure Island on Saturday, January 21^st. One Brick was amazing in making the entire event run smoothly.

Winemakers, proprietors, and winery personnel shared their outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons, Cabernet Francs, and Cabernet Blends. Other wines produced by the wineries were also available to taste at their stations. A fantastic array of tasty hors d’oeuvre were served. My personal favorites were the incredible pates from Les Trois Petits Cochons.

Cabernet Sauvignon, the king of red wines, is grown in nearly every wine producing region in the world. The Cabernet Shootout judging panel consisting of 25 men and 16 women had the pleasure of tasting 287 Cabernets from 56 different appellations. Read their comments and scores.                 Men      Women

Make sure to check out the judging panels “Bang for Your Buck Wines” too, wines selling for under $20 that received 85 points or more. There’s a bunch of them!

An extraordinary array of palates gathered to assess some of the top rated wines from the Cabernet Shootout. “This distinctly different format,” noted Tom Merle, President of the Bay Area Wine Society, “provided a unique opportunity for people who buy the wine to challenge the tastes of the wine experts.”  

The Cabernet Challenge consisted of just 32 of winning wines from The Cabernet Shootout. These wines were randomly divided into two flights of 16 wines each (Life Is A Cabernet and Celestial Cabernets). The Cabernet Shootout Challenge attendees were asked to focus on one just of the flights. The wines were divided randomly, wrapped in aluminum foil,  and identified with color stickers.

192 of the wine lovers participated in the Cabernet Shootout and  cast their votes using chips that were gender specific.

Instructions to the Cabernet Shootout Challenge Wine Lovers Judging Panel
Professional wine tasters consider the following: Clarity/Appearance, Color, Aroma/Bouquet, Acidity, Sweetness, Body/Texture, Taste/Flavor, Bitterness, Astringency, Finish, Overall Quality.

All that really matters is what you like. 

The wine lovers made notes and then cast their votes by putting chips in the ballot boxes of their favorite wines. The chips were gender specific.

Life Is A Cabernet (Red Ballot Boxes) – The Consumer Judging panel of this flight consisted of 53 women and 46 men, a total of 99 judges.

BEIGE             Martin Ray Winery 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Mountain

BRONZE          Christopher Creek 2007 Finlays Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek

BURGUNDY               Serene Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

DARK BLUE   Lucas & Lewellen 2008 COTE DEL SOL Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara County

DUSTY ROSE         JuneRay Wines 2008 Ashlow Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

GREEN                     Castello di Amorosa ll Barone 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

GUNMETAL         En Garde 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District Napa Valley

HOT PINK             Bonneau 2007 Hyde Cabernet Sauvignon, Los Carneros

KHAKI        Bogle 2007 Reserve Old River Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Clarksburg

LILAC                  Hahn Winery 2009 Meritage, Central Coast

LIGHT YELLOW       Sol Rouge 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lake County

MAGENTA   Perrucci Family Vineyard 2006 Special Res Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mtns

PUMPKIN             Indigene Cellars 2007 Philanthropist Cabernet Blend, Central Coast       

PURPLE   Field Stone 2007 Staten Family Res, Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley

RED                    Stella Monsi 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain

 
Celestial Cabernets (White Ballot Boxes) – The Consumer Judging panel of this flight consisted of 50 women and 43 men, a total of 93 judges.

AQUA MARINE              Firefly Night 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

BLACK                 CYRUS 2007 Estate Cabernet Blend, Alexander Valley

BRICK            Dusinberre 2004 Boodeaux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

DARK RED          For Giving 2008 Godspeed Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder

DEEP PURPLE         Roy J Maier ‘07 Saint Helena Road Vyds Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County

GOLD                Penman Springs Vineyard 2007 Penman Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

GRAY       Ty Caton Vineyards 2009 Estate Caton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley

LIGHT BLUE       VGS 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

LIME GREEN    Boete 2006 Cheval Rouge Saunders Vineyard Cabernet Blend, Carmel Valley

ORANGE           Smith & Hook 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast

ORCHID          Prestwood Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa

PINK                       Bellarina 2008 Meritage Cabernet Blend, Knights Valley

TAN              VJB Vineyards & Cellars 2008 Reserve Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley

TURQUOISE     Meadowcroft Wines 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt Veeder, Napa Valley

WHITE        Blue Rock 2009 Baby Blue ~ Blue Rock Vineyard Cabernet Blend, Alexander Valley

YELLOW McGrail Vineyards 2008 Reserve McGrail Vyds Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley

Our panel is very fortunate indeed to have the opportunity to taste these wonderful wines and we are very cognizant of the fact that our conclusions matter and have impact, so we take our responsibility very seriously.

Affairs of the Vine’s Shootouts are the only competition in which the judges’ conclusions are put to the test by an unbiased panel of wine lovers.

The comments on the wines at The Cabernet Shootout Challenge were amazing and the discussions engaging but in the end each person voted their own palate. All of the wines were winners, all receiving many, many votes.

The Cabernet Shootout Challenge attendees agreed with the panel…the wines tasted were fantastic!

And now…the findings!

Two wines tied for 1^st place by the Male Cabernet Shootout Judging Panel/ (we were fortunate enough to have them both available in the blind tasting.)

CYRUS 2007 Estate Cabernet Blend, Alexander Valley, $60.00

AND

En Garde 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon< Diamond Mountain District – Napa Valley, $88.00

Four wines tied for 1^st place by the Female Cabernet Shootout Judging Panel. We were lucky enough to have three of the four available to taste in the Cabernet Shootout Challenge. Miner Family is sold out of the 2007 The Oracle.

For Giving 2008 Godspeed Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, $90.00

AND

Miner Family Winery 2007 The Oracle Cabernet Blend, Napa Valley, $90.00

AND

Serene Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $54.00

AND

VGS 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $75.00

Life Is A Cabernet flight

Male Cabernet Lovers

1st Place              CYRUS 2007 Estate Cabernet Blend, Alexander Valley, $60.00

Very heavily favored also were:

Roy J Maier 2007 Saint Helena Road Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, $60.00

Boete 2006 Cheval Rouge Saunders Vineyard Cabernet Blend, Carmel Valley, $30.00

McGrail 2008 Reserve McGrail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, $36.00

Female Cabernet Lovers

1^st Place                McGrail 2008 Reserve McGrail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley, $36.00

Other favorites:

Blue Rock 2009 Baby Blue ~ Blue Rock Vineyard Cabernet Blend. Alexander Valley, $25.00

Prestwood Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, $79.00

Ty Caton Vineyards 2009 Estate Caton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, $44.00

 Celestial Cabernets flight

Male & Female Cabernet Lovers agreed. (Wow! Is that unusual or what?)

1st Place for both Male & Female            
Indigene Cellars 2007 Philanthropist Cabernet Blend, Central Coast, $21.00

 Other Male Cabernet Favorites:

Bonneau 2007 Hyde Cabernet Sauvignon, Los Carneros, $60.00

Lucas & Lewellen 2008 COTE DEL SOL Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara County, $32.00

Other Female Cabernet Lovers Favorites:

Bonneau 2007 Hyde Cabernet Sauvignon, Los Carneros, $60.00

Castello di Amorosa 2008 Il Barone Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $88.00

En Garde 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District – Napa Valley, $88.00

Field Stone Winery 2007 Staten Family Reserve, Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, $40.00

Lucas & Lewellen 2008 COTE DEL SOL Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Barbara County, $32.00

Perrucci Family Vineyard 2006 Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, $75.00

Look for these wines at your local fine wine retailer or online. Share them with friends and those you love. They are all well worth seeking out and tasting.

Taste and enjoy them all if you’re fortunate enough to have the opportunity. Keep buying your old favorites but try new ones too. When you find a style you like, try other wines that are similar. Do you like this wine as much? See if you can determine the similarities in the wines you like best. Is it appellation? Winemaking style? Winemaker?

If you have difficulty finding them at your local retailer, feel free to email Affairs of the Vine. We will be happy to put you in touch with someone at the winery who can help you acquire the wines that entice you.

So what do these wines have in common? Everyone one of these wines is outstanding!

Our Mantra…Trust Your Own Palate

Read reviews but remember it’s your palate that counts. Try to find a wine critic who commends wines that you like. Don’t feel that you have to like the wines that wine critics praise. Don’t be intimidated! If a movie reviewer gives 5 stars to a film, do you feel that you’re unsophisticated if you don’t like it too? Wine is no different. Personal preference is what counts. So drink and enjoy what you like. At Affairs of the Vine we say, “If you like the way it looks and you like the way it smells and you like the way it tastes…its good wine. So use our recommendations as a guide but you are the authority of what provides “Love at First Sip” for you.

Be among a select group of wine lovers wowed by the ultimate Pinot Noir experience. Tickets for the 10th Pinot Noir Summit are on sale now.

On Saturday, February 25, 2012 Pinot Noir lovers will gather for the remarkable

10th Pinot Noir Summit hosted by Affairs of the Vine at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District.

The Pinot Noir Summit attracts wine lovers from the consumer, media and trade segments. Attendees have the opportunity to pit their palates against the expert judging panel at the Pinot Noir Showdown, attend a Pinot Noir Workshop, enjoy wines made from Pinot Noir at the Sparkling Wine Reception, and attend the Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony.

Pinot Noir Summit Agenda

1:30-4:00 PM ~ A distinctly different format and atmosphere from other wine-tasting events, attendees blind taste and judge 40 of the top wines. Male and female votes are tallied separately and announced at the Grand Awards Ceremony.

Pinot Noir Workshops

Ellen Landis, Moderator ~ “Sleek, Silky and Seductive – Pinot Noir”

Sid Sall, Moderator ~ “What Makes a Great Vintage”

Sparkling Wine Tasting

5:30-6:00 PM – Wines That Dance on Your Tongue ~ Sparkling Wine Reception includes an international selection of cheeses and other tasty tidbits.

Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony

6:00 -8:30 PM – The Bay Area’s favorite meteorologist and celebrated wine aficionado, Spencer Christian of KGO/ABC will emcee the Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony. Top Pinot Noir winemakers will showcase their wines with a pinot-friendly selection of light hors d’oeuvre. The winners will be unveiled and final results will be announced by wine lover, Christian at 8:00 PM.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

The 10^th Pinot Noir Summit

Hilton San Francisco Financial District

All Day Ticket $130 per person – Full Day: 1:30-8:30 PM (includes The Final Showdown…A Blind Tasting, Pinot Noir Workshop, Sparkling Wine Reception, Pinot Noir Shootout Grand Awards Tasting & Ceremony)

*Purchase your ticket before February 1 and save $30

Grand Awards Tasting Only $85 per person*

10th Pinot Noir Shootout Grand Awards Tasting & Awards Ceremony

6:00-8:30 PM

*Tickets go on sale February 1st

Walk home–Take the elevator to your room…stay at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District …request The Pinot Noir Summit Special Room Rate for the evening.

The Pinot Noir Summit is produced by Chief Wine Evangelist, Barbara Drady and Affairs of the Vine, the Sonoma-based company dedicated to converting people to wine.

Attendance is limited. Only 350 tickets will be sold to wine lovers who are passionate about Pinot Noir. 

 Winners will be announced at The Pinot Noir Summit at 8:00 p.m. on February 25, 2012. 

We had so many incredible wines entered in The Cabernet Shootout this year, it was absolutely a fantastic experience to taste through the 287 wines with the Affairs of the Vine Cabernet Shootout Judging Panel.

Details or cut right to the chase…Cabernet Shootout results:

• Total number of wines entered = 287
• Cabernet Sauvignons = 231
• Caberent Francs = 17 + 1 Cabernet Franc Rose
• Cabernet Blends (and/or Meritage) = 39
• 56 appellations represented
• 41 judges: a diverse range of wine industry professionals from varying disciplines including restaurant and retail trade, winemakers, wine writers, wine educators, and consultants.
• 25 Male Judges
• 16 Female Judges

Cabernet Shootout Overview and Rules

• Each wine is tasted a minimum of 2 times by 2 different panels consisting of a smaller group of our 41 judges.
• Each judge tastes just 32 wines per day.
• 64 wines moved to the final round.
• The judges at the final round were asked to taste and evaluate 32 of the wines in the finals.
• Each judge is required to evaluate the wines using a 100-point scoring system and provide tasting notes of each wine tasted that support the score given to the wine.
• Male and female scores and tasting notes are tallied separately. Comments by gender are posted here.
• Scores and comments by the female judges click here
• Scores and comments by the male judges click here
• For fantastic values, check out the Bang for Your Buck wines
• Female Judges…Bank for Your Buck Wines
• Male Judges…Bank for Your Buck Wines 

The findings of our panel will be challenged by wine loving consumers and trade on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at The Winery SF on Treasure Island. The event will be co-hosted by the Bay Area Wine Society, The Winery SF, and Affairs of the Vine.

Click here to see the results as they unfold…

If you do not see your wine posted as yet, keep checking back. All entries should be completed by Sunday. (We had some website issues this week and we are still inputing descriptors for all of our submissions. That’s almost 600 entries counting male and female observations.)

This year’s Cabernet Shootout panel of judges tasted 287 unique wines from 56 different appellations. Our findings will be challenged in the Bay Area on January 21, 2012 by the Bay Area Wine Society

Each wine was tasted a minimum of two times by two different panels consisting of our 41 judges before we selected the wines that moved on to the final round.

Our panel (16 women and 25 men) is comprised of a diverse range of wine industry professionals from varying disciplines including restaurant and retail trade, winemakers, wine writers, wine educators, and consultants.

We’re in the process of detailing our favorites with scores and comments by gender so that you can compare and contrast the wines as seen by our male and female panelists. As is the custom, the female judges scores and comments will be listed first, followed by the men’s assessment of the wines.

When do you wear footie pajamas?

When it’s cold.

When do you wear footie pajamas during the summer months?

When you live on The Extreme Sonoma Coast where some of the best Pinot Noir in California (and perhaps the world) are grown.

When I was growing up, I loved difficult math problems, working on giant jigsaw puzzles, playing word games, and tough physical contests. I’ve always been a multi-tasker, taking what could be an easy task and complicating it. It seems to make things more satisfying in the end.

Knowing that I thrive on challenges, it shouldn’t surprise you that my wine of choice is Pinot Noir and that I live on the far left edge…on The Extreme Sonoma Coast.

The nights here during the summer months are foggy and quite cold, getting down to the mid to low 40s many nights.

Officially our address is Sebastopol, California but we live closer to the town of Freestone and less than five miles from the Pacific Ocean.

We live in what I call “Pinot Noir Heaven” or as many wine writers have called it, The Extreme Sonoma Coast. Here a few vineyard owners (some call them crazy) passionately tend vines to produce tiny clusters of exceptional Pinot Noir grapes. The wines made from these grapes exhibit unique characteristics, showing concentrated fruit in the mid-palate without the heavy alcohol or extraction that is often found in warmer climate wines.

Study The Extreme Sonoma Coast and you have the iconic definition of Cold Climate Viticulture.

• Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, perhaps some Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc. No Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel – they just wouldn’t ripen.
• Harvest falls typically between mid October to Early November
• Climate is driven by a phenomenon known as up-welling: On shore winds in the Summer and Fall are  accelerated  by  the heated interior  land mass which draws deep cold water currents to the surface and moves them closer to the coast.
• Cool days in the 70’s
• Cold Nights 40’s
• Fruit matures slowly over an extended time frame with NO HEAT SPIKES. The benefit is full Phenolic Development at lower ripeness levels.
• Heavy Fog at night drenches the vineyards. The breezes dry off fruit by     late morning.

And the most amazing phenomenon to me…

Mother Nature’s Solution to protect against mildew and rot: THICKER SKINS. Producing wines of intense flavor and color. More…

These grapes have the potential to be made into some of the best wines in the world. Some of the wines being made here are exquisite. Some of my favorites Pinots from this area are Bohemian Vineyard, Cobb 2008 Jack Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir,  Marimar Estate 2007 Mas Cavalls Pinot Noir, and Sonoma Coast Vineyards SCV 2007 Balistreri Vineyard Pinot Noir. All of these wines will age gracefully. Be patient and you will be rewarded.

Extreme Sonoma Coast Fog: Great for Pinot Noir!

As the summer days quickly fly by, the grapes are ripening on the vine and harvest is looming on the horizon.  My mind and Much of my energy focus on the Wine Country activities in the coming months.  I know intimately the craziness, passion, and exhaustion that are an integral part of this time of year.

From walking vineyards and conversations with lots of viticulturists and winemakers here in Northern California, it looks like great quality with quantities down and perhaps a later than usual (maybe 2 – 3 weeks) start to harvest.

Wine Boot Camp Video: Click here

The excitement is just around the corner!  There is nothing I have ever done except bring my children into the world that even comes close to the rewards of harvesting and winemaking.  I love to share, so every year, we offer a select few wine lovers an opportunity to find out what all of the fuss is about and to ENLIST in Wine Boot Camp®.

(Note: Wine Boot Camp is a registered trademark of Affairs of the Vine. I started using it over 20 years ago and saw the value of spending the $$$ to protect it. I chase a lot of  people and send a many “Cease and Desist” letters to those who use Wine Boot Camp without my permission. They are constantly amazed that AOTV holds the trademark. The usual conversation goes: “I just thought it up. I didn’t realize that it was trademarked.” Maybe, but Affairs of the Vine thought of it first!)

I firmly believe that this will be the best Wine Boot Camp in 20 years and we’ve had some amazing ones!

Wine Boot Camp has always provided an insider’s view to winemaking but this year, our Harvest Wine Boot Camp missions will reveal two amazingly beautiful wineries that are not open to the public and until now, have never been experienced as our recruits will.

Poolside overlooking the vineyards at Pezzi King

Pezzi King will host the morning mission. Under the guidance of Winemaker, Christopher Barrett and the watchful eyes of owners, Jim and Cynthia Rowe, owners, recruits will reach down and touch the soil, pick the grapes and taste their sweetness as they are harvested.

The mission continues at Blue Rock Vineyard (check out the video). Under the tutelage of owner, Kenny Kahn and winemaker, Nick Goldschmidt, recruits will blend a bottle of wine from the wonderful wines in barrel at Blue Rock Vineyard.

And that’s just the beginning of the day and the story. Recruits will enjoy an aromatic workshop, wine tastings, breakfast, lunch poolside overlooking the vineyard at Pezzi King, and a sumptuous gourmet dinner at Blue Rock under the stars. All of this packed into an intensive 12-hour day.

AND THAT’S NOT ALL!

Blue Rock Vineyard

You can Live Your Dreams at Harvest Wine Boot Camp 2011.
Be a Winemaker and a Film Star!

Wine Boot Camp, the extreme insider experience for adventurous Wine Lovers, will be the focus of award-winning documentary filmmaker John Beck’s new feature-length film, “Harvest.”

Beck’s “Harvest” will capture the frenzied, magnetic, and intoxicating excitement of the harvest on Saturday, September 24th as Wine Boot Camp® recruits experience the hard but rewarding work that it takes to produce wine.

The one-day WINE BOOT CAMP® adventure includes the chance to BE A MOVIE STAR, all workshops, educational materials, lunch in the vineyard, a gourmet dinner paired with wines, extensive wine tasting, a bottle of wine created by the recruit, transportation to all events, a WINE BOOT CAMP® cap, and an “I Survived WINE BOOT CAMP®” T-shirt. Enlistment is $600 per person plus tax.  To register, contact Major Drady at 707-874 -1975 or camp@affairsofthevine.com

Enlist Today!!!

The technical world has dominated my life for what seems like an eternity as I’ve worked with my
webmaster and mentor, Jose Diaz, on upgrading this website. What we envisioned as a two week project has stretched into 10 very long weeks including sleepless nights and 18-hour days and we’re not finished yet. The goal is to create a website that I can update without benefit of Jose’s counsel and still maintain the highly technical magic that he has created behind the scenes for managing the enormous flow of information that comes with The Cabernet Shootout & Challenge, the Pinot Noir Shootout & Summit, Wine Boot Camp®, and our myriad of corporate wine events.

This process has been painful for me but we’re in the home stretch and I’m pushing hard because what’s waiting for me is WINE! Today I’m announcing that we are officially ready to begin receiving submissions for The Cabernet Shootout
and the 10th Pinot Noir Shootout. Yeah!

There are still some bugs, edits and updates that we’re working on behind the scenes but for the moment, I’m pleased to share our new look with you.

The new format is going to allow some exciting features. We will be able to display wine labels next to the wine reviews on our Shootout results pages. Since our world is so driven by visual connections, this will not only make the pages look prettier but help wine lovers more easily recognize the wines they seek.

Wineries registering their wines for the Cabernet Shootout or Pinot Noir Shootout before August 1st, will have their labels displayed free of charge.

The 9th Pinot Noir Shootout and Summit Results Say, “Yes!”

New World Pinot Noir has been evolving over the last several vintages to wines of elegance and varietal authenticity rather than burly Syrah-like Pinots, the muscular Pinot Noirs made popular by a few influential reviewers and their publications.

And it’s about time! I’m delighted that lighter, more delicately styled wines with balanced acids are becoming the norm. It was definitely apparent in this year’s 9th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout and Summit results that elegance and balance wins out over brawn.

It’s taken time to analyze the results and read through all the comments and descriptions submitted by our judging panel and the attendees to the Pinot Noir Summit. With 40 judges tasting 367 wines at least twice in the competition, there’s a lot of wine information to be digested.

The Pinot Noir Shootout judges expertly tasted through 367 wines in a series of blind tastings, tasting just 32 wines per day, and selected 64 to move forward to the Pinot Noir Summit. At the Summit, over 350 Pinot Noir lovers participated in a blind tasting of the wines.

In a distinctly different format and atmosphere from other wine tasting events, attendees blind taste the wines and pit their palates against the expert judging panel. The Shootout is the only competition where the judges’ conclusions are put to the test by an unbiased panel of wine lovers.

The wines selected as the favorites of the Pinot Noir Shootout judges and the delegates to the Pinot Noir Summit were viewed as silky, elegant, velvety, and well-balanced, wines displaying finesse over structure.

Overview and complete results at Affairs of the Vine.

Top winners of the 9th Annual Pinot Shootout and Summit Results:

Men at the Summit
1st Place : Bouchaine 2008 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Napa Valley – Carneros
2nd Place : McIntyre Vineyards Estate 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
3rd Place : DaVine Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
4th Place : Alysian 2007 Estate Floodgate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
5th Place : Boulder Bank 2009 Pinot Noir, Marlborough

Women at the Summit:
1st Place : Steele 2008 Bien Nacido Vineyards Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County
2nd Place : Leveroni Vineyards 2009 Seven Oaks Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Valley
3rd Place : Portalupi 2008 Russell Family Ranch Pinot Noir, Paso Robles
4th Place : Sharp Cellars 2007 Keenan’s Cove Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
5th Place : CRU 2008 Appellation Series Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley

Shootout Panel Results
Men Judges :
1st Place : Chamisal 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley
2nd Place : Lucienne 2007 Lone Oak Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
3rd Place : Expression 39 2009 Annahal Vineyard Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
AND
3rd Place : Woodworth 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, Temecula Valley
4th Place : Fulcrum 2008 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
5th Place : Pacific Coast 2007 Babcock Vineyards Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
AND
5th Place : Steele 2008 Bien Nacido Vineyards Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County

Women Judges :
1st Place : Mueller 2008 Emily’s Cuvee Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
2nd Place : Coghlan 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
3rd Place : Fess Parker 2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County
4th Place : SCV Sonoma Coast Vineyards 2007 Balistreri Family Vineyard

Freestone View Block Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

5th Place : Scheid Vineyards 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir, Monterey
AND
5th Place : Sequana Vineyards 2008 Dutton Ranch Pinot Noir, Green Valley

This year, the competition included some amazing Blanc de Noirs and other sparkling wines produced from Pinot Noir. The winners are…

Sparkling Wine Gold Medal Winners:

Cipes Rose Traditional Method Sparkling Wine Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Freixenet Elyssia Brut Pinot Noir, Cava, Spain, $18.00

Gloria Ferrer 2006 Blanc de Noirs, Methode Champenoise, Carneros, $40.00
300 cases produced

Gloria Ferrer Brut Rose 2006 Pinot Noir, Carneros, $42.00
2000 cases produced

SCV 2007 Sea Fog Cuvee Blanc de Noirs, Methode Champenoise, Sonoma Coast, $25.00
487 cases produced

Segura Viudas ARIA Brut Pinot Noir, Cava, Spain, $12.00

The wines worthy of note are reviewed here. Each wine is awarded a numerical scores by the male and female panels and are recommended “from the heart with the additional reference of heart’s designating the following:

Key:
= Love at First Sip

= An Affair to Remember

= Will Provide Fond Memories

Complete comments and scores by gender at Affairs of the Vine