LA Timesにピノのイベントがたくさん出てきた話が書いてありました。それによるとシャルドネファンは「がぶ飲み」して,カベルネファンはワインを「収集」するのに対し,ピノファンはワイン作りの深遠に触れている喜びを感じているのだそうです。
"Pinot Noir lovers aren't like other wine enthusiasts. Chardonnay lovers might quaff, Cab cultists might collect, but tossing around the latest thinking about esoteric winemaking practices is what rocks the Pinot sphere. The thin line between hobby and obsession? Pinot lovers joke that they cross it with their first good glass of Pinot."

Got Pinot? Well, throw a festival! - Los Angeles Times

そんな「御託」も面白いのですが,確かに5年くらい前と比べてピノの地位向上は目覚しいものがあります。僕がカリフォルニアにいたころは,「ピノが好き」といってもほとんど相手にされないような状況でしたから。

肝心のイベントの話ですが,記事に挙げられている中でSFベイエリアやソノマで開催されるものをこれからの開催順に書いておきます。


Pinot Paradise, Santa Cruz Mountains, Saratoga, Calif. This seminar and tasting showcasing local Pinot Noirs began last year with 800 people attending. The next festival will be held March 25 and 26.

Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival, Philo, Calif. This local festival dating back to 1998 is focused solely on Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley AVA. It is expected to attract 450 people when it is next held May 19 to 21.

Hospices of Sonoma Barrel Auction, Sebastopol, Calif. A fundraiser created in 2004 in the spirit of Hospices de Beaune, the event attracted 400 people last year. It will be held again May 19 to 21.

Pinot Days, San Francisco. A sprawling tasting open to Pinot Noir winemakers from around the world, it attracted 1,500 people in 2005, its first year. The next one will be held June 24 to 25.

Pinot on the River, Sebastopol, Calif. The three-day symposium begun in 2004 features technical seminars and food pairing clinics. It attracted 85 attendees last year. The next one is scheduled for Oct. 27 to 29.

PinotFest at Farallon Restaurant, San Francisco. A classy tasting supported by top California Pinot Noir producers since it began in 1999, the restaurant event limited to 300 people sells out each year. The next PinotFest is Nov. 17 and 18.