In lieu of the yearly festival, Anderson Valley producers take their celebration online with promotions and exclusive events
Boonville, CA – The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association is pleased to announce that May is Anderson Valley Pinot Month. With the current shelter in place orders, the 23rd annual Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival was postponed (now May 14-16, 2021) but producers still want to bring Pinot to the people and will offer special promotions, online tastings, new releases and more throughout the month of May.
Pinot Noir has steadily been on the rise for the past 25 years in Anderson Valley and has become the signature grape of the region. To honor the grape and the region’s history with it, the Association is kicking off the month with a free online masterclass. The seminar, hosted on Zoom by Anderson Valley-based sommelier Corrina Strauss, will focus on the history of Anderson Valley, the terroir and the region’s wines. It will take place on May 2nd at 1:00 PM PDT. Register for the class at https://www.avwines.com/visit-
Limited edition offerings throughout the month look to celebrate Pinot’s heritage in the Valley, but also its future. Husch Vineyards, the first producer to plant Pinot Noir in Anderson Valley in 1971, is releasing an exclusive small-lot “One Barrel” Pinot Noir. Showcasing the versatility of the grape, Toulouse Vineyards is proud to offer the first commercially produced Anderson Valley vermouth. The vermouth, a light pressed Pinot Noir with organic botanicals, will be released alongside the Toulouse Goose Bubbles, a small-production Blanc de Noirs. Approaching the grape from an artist’s viewpoint is Toby Hill, winemaker and owner of Phillips Hill. Toby is offering a unique peek into his studio, and will lead fans through his art and discuss how it lends to his process of winemaking at Phillips Hill.
Other online experiences include live tastings and featured giveaways. A weekly clue will offer an opportunity for Pinot fans to win an all-weekend-pass to next year’s Pinot Noir Festival. Giveaways also include gift certificates, lodging, speciality food items and artwork. Art lovers will also have the opportunity to bid on this year’s Pinot Fest original artwork, now a collector’s piece from artist Gerald Reis. A bevy of shipping discounts and special Pinot Noir pricing round out the promotions for the month.
All of these promotions and more will be featured on a weekly basis and can be found online at avwines.com/pinot-month, on Instagram (@avwinegrowers) and on Facebook. Follow along with #avpinotmonth and participate by showing us your #pinotpics.
About Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association
The Anderson Valley Winegrowers Association (AVWA) was founded in 1983 – the same year as the appellation. Made up of 24 vineyard, 54 winery and 63 associate members, the non-profit organization operates with the goal of supporting the region’s premier grape growers and wineries, as well as promoting the region’s distinguished wines. In addition to acting as a resource for its members, the association aims to better its community by donating funds every year to local nonprofit organizations.
