It's WINTER in the vineyards. You may think it's time to rest, but the vineyards are very much alive! Pruning has already begun and Mustard is abundant in vineyards all over Napa Valley. In the vineyard pictured here, the first pruning is already complete.
We're busy inside the winery, too. It's time to put barrels of the 2011 Vintage into storage and to pull out older vintages for topping and other adjustments.
We've also bottled and released four, wonderful wines!
The Grand Kickoff Dinner for the fourth-annual Pasadena PinotFest promises to be a delectable event done by the numbers—specifically, the numbers five, five, five—as the evening celebration will feature five exquisite courses prepared by five preeminent chefs, all accompanied by outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines provided by five of California's top wineries, in an elegant country club setting. And to make this standout event even more significant, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the in-need children and families served by Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services—one of the largest provider of children's mental-health services in Los Angeles County.
The Grand Kickoff Dinner will be held on Jan. 15, 2012, 6 p.m., at the Altadena Town & Country Club. Guests will be treated to a five-course, epicurean experience and will be joined by the winemakers:
• Course I—Elements Kitchen (Chef Onil ChibĪ¬s) and Clos Pepe Winery (Wes Hagen);
• Course II—AKA Bistro & Bistro 45 (Chef James Lambrinos) and Hitching Post Winery (Gray Hartley and Frank Osini);
• Course III—Altadena Town & Country Club (Chef John Angelopulos) and Alma Rosa Winery (Richard Sanford);
• Course IV—The Raymond Restaurant (Chef Tim Guiltinan) and D'Alfonso-Curran Wines (Kris Curran and Bruno D'Alfonso);
• Course V—Noir Food & Wine (Chef Claud Beltran) and Williams-Selyam Winery (Jeff Mangahas and Bob Cabral)
To purchase Grand Kickoff dinner tickets,which are $149 - $179 per person, please visit http://www.pasadenapinotfest.com/Kickoff_Dinner-2012.html
The Grand Kickoff Dinner ushers in the always-highly anticipated Pasadena PinotFest—sponsored by Pasadena's top-rated Noir Food & Wine—which promises once again to be a palate-satisfying series of spectacular events from Jan. 15 through Feb. 11, 2012. A month-long celebration of the wonderful world of Pinot Noir, events include gourmet winemaker dinners as well as wine tastings at Noir Food & Wine. The festival will culminate with a Grand Public Tasting at the Altadena Town & Country Club on Feb. 11, which will feature wines from more than 100 wineries. For information and ($95 pp) tickets, visit http://www.pasadenapinotfest.com or call 626.795.7199.
Pasadena PinotFest Calendar of Events:
Sunday, January 15, 2011 — Grand Kickoff Dinner
6:00 pm, Altadena Town & Country Club (2290 Country Club Drive, Altadena 91001), $149.00 pp (regular), $179.00 pp (VIP)
Saturday, January 21, 2011 — Pinot Noir Wine Tasting Series #1
3:30 pm, Noir Food & Wine (40 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena 91106) $15 pp
Saturday, January 28, 2011 — Pinot Noir Wine Tasting Series #2
3:30 pm, Noir Food & Wine (40 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena 91106) $15 pp
Saturday, February 4, 2011 — Pinot Noir Wine Tasting Series #3
3:30 pm, Noir Food & Wine (40 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena 91106) $15 pp
Friday, February 10, 2011 — Pinot Noir Wine Tasting Series #4
3:30 pm, Noir Food & Wine (40 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena 91106) $15 pp
Saturday, February 11, 2011 — Grand Public Tasting
1:00 – 5:00 pm, Altadena Town & Country Club (2290 Country Club Drive, Altadena 91001), $89.00 pp (general), $119.00 pp (VIP)
After January 15, ticket prices are $95.00 and $125; General admission includes: admission (1-5pm), featuring up to 100 top wines, winemakers, use of Reidel Pinot Noir Glass and cuisine provided by Altadena Town & Country Club, Noir Food & Wine, Elements Kitchen, The Raymond Restaurant, and AKA Bistro, free parking and shuttle. VIP admission includes all of the above plus access to Grand Public Tasting at 12 noon, one hour earlier, and the use of the VIP lounge.
For most up-to-date information and tickets for all events, visit http://www.pasadenapinotfest.com or call 626.795.7199.