13th Annual Pinot Noir Summit in Reno…A Spectacular Success
SEBASTOPOL, Calif., Sept. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The 13th Annual Pinot Noir Summit, the culmination of the 13th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout, was held at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nevada on July 24th for Wine Trade and July 25th for Wine Lovers. After 12 successful years in San Francisco, it was a gamble that paid off BIG TIME!
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150916/267115
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150916/267116
At the Summit, over 225 adventurous Pinot Noir lovers signed up for the full day of experience including Seminars, a Blind Tasting, an All Things Pinot Luncheon and the Grand Tasting & Awards Gala. An additional 250 people joined the festivities for the Gala on Saturday evening. 100+ Wine Industry folks attended Friday Special Trade Sessions.
The 13th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout was incredibly exciting because the competition was so fierce. 497 amazing wines were submitted. Affairs of the Vine judging panels taste only 32 wines a day. Each wine is tasted twice before it's determined which wines will move to the finals. The wines the judges tasted that delighted and fascinated them are noted on the Affairs of the Vine website. Every year outstanding examples of Pinot Noir are discovered from wineries that are known to our judges and they're always pleasantly surprised by wines submitted from producers new to them.
The Pinot Noir Shootout is the only wine competition in which the judges' conclusions are put to the test by a large unbiased group of wine lovers. 46 of the top-rated wines were featured at The 13th Annual Pinot Noir Summit for wine lovers on July 25th at the Atlantis Casino.
If you can't wait to view the scores and medals and just have to see them NOW, go ahead. You can read the rest of this press release later.
In a distinctly different format and atmosphere from other wine-tasting events, the attendees blind tasted the wines and pitted their palates against the expert judging panel. The wines were divided into 2 groups of 23 wines each. The wines were dressed in Vino Sleeves and identified by a random color. The male and female votes were tallied separately.
After tasting the wines blind, the Wine Lovers at The Pinot Summit cast their votes for their favorite wines.
The Pinot Noir lovers spoke out loud and clear with an unmistakable statement of preference, embracing wines of elegance and varietal authenticity rather than burly Syrah-like Pinots.
Here are the winners as announced by Master of Ceremonies ~ Dave Preston, Nevada's Guru of the Good Life at the Grand Tasting & Awards Gala.
13th Annual Pinot Noir Summit Results:
Female Wine Lovers
First Place
Balverne 2012 Reserve Pinot Noir, Russian River
Second Place
Bucher2013 Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River
Third Place
J.Lohr 2012 Highlands Bench Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
Male Wine Lovers
First Place
Graton Ridge Cellars 2012 Paul Family Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River
Second Place
Comanche Cellars 2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
Third Place
TR Elliott 2013 O'Connell Vineyard Burgonet Pinot Noir, Russian River
Female Judges
First Place
Graton Ridge Cellars 2012 Paul Family Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River
Second Place
Schug 2013 Pinot Noir, Carneros
Third Place
Wrights Station Vineyard 2012 Estate Far Away Block Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains
Male Judges
First Place
TR Elliott 2013 O'Connell Vineyard Burgonet Pinot Noir, Russian River
Second Place
Handley Cellars 2012 Reserve Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
Third Place
Double Bond 2011 Wolff Vineyard Pinot Noir, Edna Valley
The Male Wine Lovers did not select the same as the Male Judging panel. The Female Wine Lovers and Female Judges had only one wine in common in their top three. What does that prove? Who's right? Who wins? Everybody!
The wines worthy of note are reviewed here. Each wine is awarded a numerical scores by the male and female panels and are awarded medals as indicated.
Complete Results of the 13th Annual Pinot Noir Shootout and Summit here
The Pinot Noir Summit and Cabernet Shootout are productions of Affairs of the Vine
Contact:
Barbara Drady, Chief Wine Evangelist
707.874.1975
Email