December 10, 2019, Tuesday - Coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: Best of North America at North Loop Wine

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Location: North Loop Wine and Spirits, 218 Washington Ave N

Coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir: Best of North America

Twin Cities Wine Education presents a very "cool" wine class Coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of North America Exploring the cool climate old-world style fringes of American winemaking Photo: View of fog over the Sonoma Coast from Hirsch Vineyards. Photo by Jasmine Hirsch, a family story we'll be discussing in detail in this class. Do a Google image search on the term "American Coastal" and you'll see sunsets, beaches, the beautiful people, the outdoor lifestyle, and no indication that anything exists in the state otherwise. However, there exists an amazing subset of wines, mostly Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, coming from the incredible cooler climate regions of the west coast. Many of these regions are on the fringe of winemaking possibility, and they deal with a nearly impossible range of temperatures in order to achieve full ripeness in their grapes.

This new class will explore the cooler climate regions of the west coast through a series of stunning Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Join us as we learn about regions from Oregon down to Santa Barbara including Willamette Valley, Mendocino County (specifically Anderson Valley), the Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Santa Barbara County (with emphasis on the Sta. Rita Hills). The wines served will be stunning examples of this category, some of the best made in the country. What you'll see is that in the modern world of wine the terms "old world" and "new world" are no longer catch-all terms for European vs. American wine. The lines are getting blurred, and that's kinda cool (ba da bump!)