Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/818616
may 2017 / the tasting panel / 49 T he World of Pinot Noir, held in early March at the Bacara Resort and Spa in scenic Santa Barbara, CA, provided a couple of action-packed days including informative seminars, delectable meals and walk-around tastings featuring some of the best expressions of Pinot Noir from across the world. We capped off the fun-filled weekend with the perfect celebratory wine—bubbles! A group of 60 diners tasted six sparkling wines—all Pinot Noir–based, of course—alongside a perfectly paired brunch. We were welcomed with Champagne in the resort's Angel Oak restaurant before sitting down for an informal experience of tasting the sparkling wines at leisure, rather than having them individually paired to dishes. We paused throughout the light-hearted brunch to hear from the winemakers for more detailed informa- tion on the sparkling, although they really spoke more to their enjoyment in producing the wines. Bollinger Champagne Special Cuvée Brut kicked off the festivities. In order to achieve the Bollinger house style, the multi-vintage Special Cuvée is a blend of current-harvest wine with a large amount of reserve wines, part of which have been aged in magnums for five to 15 years. The Champagne is finished with a dosage of eight to nine grams per liter and is matured for at least 30 months prior to release. As the first course arrives at our tables, I have Goat Bubbles in my glass, so I invite Winemaker Norm Yost to welcome the now giggling group. One of five sparkling wines from Flying Goat Cellars, the 2013 Goat Bubbles Brut Cuvée comprises Pinot Noir from the Santa Rita Hills and Chardonnay from Santa Maria Valley. The wine spends ten months in barrel prior to secondary fermentation, 10 to 12 months in bottle and is hand-riddled. Laura Booras, Winemaker for Riverbench Vineyard & Winery in Santa Maria Valley, delights us next as she explains in simple terms her philosophy on making sparkling wine: "It's super fun," she says, beaming. The 2013 Blanc de Noirs, 100 percent Pinot Noir, arrives in my glass just as the buttermilk waffle and crispy chicken topped with maple syrup and espellette honey butter appears before my eyes. J Vineyards & Winery Winemaker Nicole Hitchcock introduces her Russian River Valley Brut Rosé as "a labor of love; and it takes vision." At this noted sparkling wine house, she oversees production and aging logistics on a grand scale. The non-vintage Brut Rosé receives 11.5 grams per liter dos- age and spends two years in the bottle. "I as a winemaker have been want- ing to make sparkling wine my entire life," confesses Anne Amie Vineyards Winemaker Thomas Housman. The 2011 Marilyn Brut Cuvée is his first sparkling wine, and this current release is from 100 percent Chehalem Mountain fruit, a sub-region of Oregon's Willamette Valley. As the classic root beer floats with the decadent addition of double chocolate fudge cake threaten over- indulgence, the smiling, carefree group celebrates the end of an immersive three days into the World of Pinot Noir, preparing to return home to share their new-found knowledge and favorites with those not fortunate enough to have enjoyed the splendid summit. The Stellar Line-Up of Pinot Noir–Based Sparkling Wines for Our Inspired Brunch Bollinger Champagne MV Special Cuvée Brut, France Blend: 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier—over 85% Grands and Premiers Crus vineyards Flying Goat Cellars 2013 Goat Bubbles Brut Cuvée, Santa Barbara County, California Blend: 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay Riverbench Vineyard & Winery 2013 Blanc de Noirs, Santa Maria Valley, California Blend: 100% Pinot Noir J Vineyards & Winery NV Brut Rosé, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California Blend: 66% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay, 1% Pinot Meunier Anne Amie Vineyards 2011 Marilyn Brut Cuvée, Willamette Valley, Oregon Blend: 54% Pinot Noir, 46% Chardonnay BY ALLYSON GORSUCH / PHOTOS BY JEREMY BALL