Pasadena PinotFest Jan. 22-Feb. 13

One of the oldest grape varieties to be cultivated for the purpose of making wine, Pinot Noir rings in the New Year for new beginnings at the Third Annual Pasadena PinotFest, sponsored by Pasadena’s top restaurant and wine bar, Noir Food & Wine. From January 22 to February 13, Pinot Noir fans will have the chance to savor varietal flavors at several wine events, ranging in price from $10 to $250 per person, including five winemaker dinners, six wine tasting events, and the Pinot Noir Public Grand Tasting event. For up-to-date information and tickets, visit www.pasadenapinotfest.com

“In our third year, it’s exciting to see how this event has grown and continues to attract California’s finest winemakers,” said Mike Farwell, owner of Noir Food & Wine and organizer of the event. “It has become the biggest wine event in the San Gabriel Valley and offers a wonderful opportunity for our local community to explore and expand their knowledge of California Pinot Noirs.”

The Kick-Off Winemaker Dinner, to be held at Noir Food & Wine in Pasadena on January 23 at 6:30pm, will feature a five-course dinner prepared by Chef Claud Beltran with an offering of up to 15 wines from Brewer-Clifton, Melville, Palmina & Diatom.

Noir Food & Wine will also feature a winemaker dinner on February 6.

On January 30 and February 6, Palate Food + Wine in Glendale will host dinners prepared by Chef Octavio Becerra featuring Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, and on January 30, California Wine and Cheese in Monrovia will also present a dinner prepared by Chef Claud Beltran.

For $10 per person, the public has the chance to taste a variety of wines and meet winemakers at six different wine tastings to be held at Noir Food & Wine (January 22, February 5) and Palate Food + Wine (January 25, February 1, 5, and 13).

On Saturday, February 12, the Pasadena PinotFest will feature the Grand Public Tasting event from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Altadena Town & Country Club. Located at 2290 Country Club Drive in Altadena, tickets are $85 and $100 at the door.

Included in the event admission are: a full size Pinot Noir glass to take home from the event; tastings of hundreds of California-produced Pinot Noir wines; tastings of Chardonnay and Sarah from the same producers; complimentary hors d’oeuvres by Chef John Angelopulos of Altadena Country Club, complimentaryCharcuterie & Cheese Buffets with selections from Chefs Claud Beltran and Octavia Becerra; and access to winemakers, vignerons and wine experts.

Wineries participating include Alma Rosa, Sta. Rita Hills; Ampelos, Sta Rita Hills; Badge, Sta. Rita Hills; Brewer-Clifton, Sta. Rita Hills; Carr Wines, Sta. Rita Hills; Chasimal Vineyards, Edna Valley; Clary Ranch, Sonoma Coast; Cargasacchi, Sta. Rita Hills; Clos Pepe, Sta. Rita Hills; Cottonwood Canyon, Sta. Rita Hills; D'Alfonso-Curran Wines, Sta. Rita Hills; Derby Wine Estate, Paso Robles;Dutton-Goldfield, Russian River Valley;Flying Goat, Sta. Rita Hills; Fogline Vineyards, Russian River; Frank Family, Russian River;George Wine Co, Russian River; Gypsy Canyon, Sta. Rita Hills; Harrington Wines, San Francisco Bay; Hitching Post, Santa Maria Valley;Ken Brown, Sta. Rita Hills; Kenneth Volk Wines, Santa Barbara; La Fenetre Wines, Sta. Rita Hills; Loring Wine Company, Sta. Rita Hills;Melville Winery, Sta. Rita Hills; Palmina, Sta. Rita Hills; Papapietro Perry Winery, Russian River; Prodigal, Sta. Rita Hills; Point Concepcion, Santa Barbara County;Row 11, Santa Maria & Russian River;Rozak Vintners, Sta. Rita Hills;Roessler Cellars, Russian River;Sojourn, Sonoma Coast; Stephen Ross, Edna Valley; Vergari Wines, Sta. Rita Hills; Wedell Cellars, Edna Valley; Westwood, Sonoma Valley; Wild Horse Winery, Paso Robles;Zotovich Cellars, Sta. Rita Hills; Williams Selyem, Russian River; Kosta Browne, Russian River;Freeman, Russian River; Roessler, Russian River; Marimar, Russian River; Frank Family, Russian River.

Please visit www.pasadenapinotfest.com to see new wineries that are being added.

A portion of the proceeds from 2011 Pasadena PinotFest will benefit Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services, a Pasadena-headquartered child welfare agency that provides residential treatment, foster care and adoption services, a nonpublic school education, mental health services, wraparound and in-home counseling services, a transitional-living program, a family resource center, and a grief and loss center for children to more than 8,000 children and families annually through its facilities in the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Antelope Valley.

A second beneficiary of the proceeds is Hillsides, a Pasadena foster care children’s charity serving children at risk and families in crisis living in Los Angeles County. The agency also provides residential treatment, transitional living and housing services, mental health support, special education, wraparound, family preservation, among other community-based servicesserving more than 6,000 children and families living in Los Angeles County, including Pasadena.

Additional event sponsors are Boston Court Performing Arts Center, Ice House Comedy Club, and The Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa.

To learn more about the event, visit www.PasadenaPinotFest.com or call 626-795-7199.