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August 20, 2010

IPNC 2010: Saturday, July 24 (Day Two)

What an amazing second day this turned out to be. From the morning pairing seminar to the alfresco lunch to the evening salmon bake, it was a day that exceeded expectations on a number of fronts. Here is a summary of my experiences, thoughts, and impressions from Day Two of the International Pinot Noir Celebration 2010. The Grand Seminar Another breakfast of fresh berries...arrive too late for the bacon and sausage...stomach is craving protein...alas, the "Wine is Food" grand seminar offers a mid-morning brunch of lamb and pinot...four wines matched to four preparations...shoulder, loin, leg and shank...winemaker and chef collaborate...Ray...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:41 PM |

August 14, 2010

IPNC 2010: Friday, July 23 (Day One)

What a terrific first day this turned out to be. From the morning's opening ceremonies to the evening's grand dinner event, it was a day that offered a variety of learning experiences, meaningful connections, and outstanding meals. Without further ado, here is a summary of impressions from this amazing Friday at IPNC 2010. Opening Ceremonies Fruit of the rambling vine for breakfast...fresh raspberries, blackberries, marionberries...pastries galore...welcome from Dr. Thomas Hellie, president of Linfield College...quotes winemaker who claimed, "Pinot noir is the tuning fork of the soul"...still resonates with me even now...Ray Isle, MC for IPNC, talks about the "communal bond,...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:59 PM | | Comments (2)

August 09, 2010

Links to coverage of IPNC 2010

For anyone impatient with my delayed posts or bored with that provided thus far, here's an ever expanding list of links to articles, reviews, and other commentary on the International Pinot Noir Celebration that occurred July 23 - 25, 2010 in McMinnville. IPNC: Continuing Education in Living Well (PinotFile) Excess -- of food and wine -- is the rule at IPNC in McMinnville (The Oregonian) IPNC 2010: Day One (Snooth) IPNC 2010: Day Two (Snooth) What the IPNC is really like (Matching Food & Wine) IPNC… Wines From Oregon and Beyond (Sip With Me!) The Epiphany of Pinot Noir? (Fermentation)...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:42 PM |

August 08, 2010

More coverage of IPNC 2010 weekend coming soon

With so much to share and so many words to write, my posts on specific experiences at IPNC 2010 will be published in installments over the coming weeks. I intend to breakdown this three day event into a series of five or six posts, focusing on the main seminar, winery tour, grand dinner, and salmon bake. Capping it all off, I will summarize my experiences, takeaways, and impressions in a final commentary. To ease the burden on my sufferable writing skills, I will be filling space with lots of photos captured throughout the weekend. Even still, processing these takes...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:41 PM |

Pre-IPNC 2010 Dinner at Scott Paul

With more than a dozen Willamette Valley wineries hosting dinners on the eve of IPNC weekend, it makes for a tough decision when choosing which one to attend. These Thursday night events are a great way to kickoff what becomes a series of multi-course, multi-flight meals that help define and shape IPNC. The evening Scott and Martha Wright hosted at their downtown Carlton winery on Thursday, July 22, was no exception. In fact, this event exceeded expectations on so many fronts, I probably could have gone home the next day and been happy with that experience alone. The interesting people,...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:10 PM |

August 01, 2010

Photos: IPNC 2010 Vineyard Tour & Winery Lunch

A few shots captured during the IPNC Vineyard Tour and Winery Lunch hosted by Lemelson on Friday, July 23. More details and photos from this terrific day will be shared soon. A view from my seat on the bus A view from my seat at the blending seminar A view from my seat at the outdoor luncheon...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:24 PM |

April 07, 2010

IPNC 2010 Featured Wineries Announced

In about three months, over sixty-five wineries from eleven different growing regions around the world will gather in McMinnville, Oregon, for the the 24th annual International Pinot Noir Celebration on July 23 - 25. With the featured wineries announced today, my excitement grows for this event not only due to many of my favorite Oregon producers participating but also pinot noir winemakers from Alsace, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Burgundy, California, Canada, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand. My IPNC ticket is purchased, pre-IPNC dinner booked, and weekend accommodations are reserved. Now all I have to do is count the days until late...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:31 PM |

August 18, 2009

Coverage of IPNC 2009

During and after it was held in late July, I have been following the coverage of IPNC 2009 from bloggers and columnists alike. Kathleen Cole's column today entitled, "Tasting world of pinots, right in McMinnville" speaks to how IPNC can effectively expand one's frame of reference on this captivating variety. As a result of reading Cole's column and the other posts, it seems IPNC 2010 can't come soon enough, for I can't wait to attend next year's event. Here's an overview of the coverage published to date: Martha Holmberg and Katherine Cole of OregonLive.com Alder Yarrow of Vinography.com Washington...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:42 PM |

July 09, 2009

International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) 2009

In two weeks, hundreds of pinot noir fans will gather in McMinnville, Oregon for the 23rd annual International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC). Billed as "Planet Earth's Premier Pinot Noir Event", it is a monumental event, a weekend like no other focused on a single variety. If you're looking for a transformative wine event, then this is the one to attend during the weekend of July 24 - 26. Tickets are still available, but hurry they usually sell out every year. For those unable to attend, you will likely be able to follow the coverage at Vinography.com and Enobytes.com, whose...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:05 PM |

July 30, 2008

IPNC 2008: Connections, Context, and Community

For me, the measure of a good wine experience is how often and to what degree you reflect on it afterward. Since returning from IPNC 2008, I have been thinking a lot about what I gained from attending this event. If I were to distill it down to just a few themes, then IPNC for me was all about connections, context, and community. Connecting to People and Places I heard it said many times during the weekend, that it is the wine that brings folks to IPNC, but it is the people that make it special. That was clearly validated...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:00 PM |

July 27, 2008

IPNC: Day Two, Part Two

IPNC Northwest Salmon Bake Dinner The second half of Day Two at IPNC followed a similar sequence to Day One, with several seminars, special pourings, alfresco tastings, and dinner. Mid-afternoon, I dropped by a book signing featuring Tyler Colman, Ph.D., a.k.a. Dr. Vino, and several other authors. Tyler, whom I met earlier in the day, publishes a popular wine blog and has recently released a new book entitled, Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink. I am looking forward to reading Tyler's book, which combines two of my favorite topics. Along with the book...

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Posted by Thad W. at 07:07 PM | | Comments (2)

July 26, 2008

IPNC: Day Two, Part One

IPNC Sustainability Without Sacrifice Seminar Today is the second and last full day at IPNC. It began with two wine seminars indoors and was followed by lunch outside on the lawn. In keeping with the theme of this year's IPNC, the two seminars focused on sustainability in the vineyard and winery. Both sessions were moderated by Andrea Robinson with a panel of special guests commenting on the various wine flights in front of us. The first session featured Jasper Morris, wine expert and writer, and Dominique Lafon, of the Burgundy estate, Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Dominique spoke about his...

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Posted by Thad W. at 02:05 PM |

July 25, 2008

IPNC: Day One, Part Two

IPNC Grand Dinner What an amazing evening the first night of IPNC has been... It started with the al fresco tasting event, featuring dozens of producers from around the world pouring recent and past releases of pinot noir. As much as these types of tasting events offer a useful cross-section of wines, I find it challenging to really enjoy wine in this setting without food. The cocktail wines always show well, while the food friendly wines struggle. Following the tasting reception, we all came together for "The Grand Dinner", with a variety of wines and vintages being poured throughout...

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Posted by Thad W. at 10:38 PM |

IPNC: Day One, Part One

IPNC Vineyard Tour and Winery Lunch What a terrific first day at IPNC. I got started at 8 am joining Craig Camp of the Wine Camp Blog for breakfast. Craig is clearly the man when it comes to blogging about the Oregon wine scene. It was a lot of fun meeting him, chatting about wine and the Web, as well as being introduced to some folks he knows. After breakfast, several hundred attendees gathered on Linfield's commencement green for the opening ceremonies. After a welcome from the president of Linfield College and comments from special guests, each of the...

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Posted by Thad W. at 04:11 PM |

July 24, 2008

Pre-IPNC Dinner at Lemelson Vineyards

On the eve of IPNC kicking off tomorrow, more than a dozen wineries in the McMinnville area are hosting dinners tonight. I had the good fortune of selecting the pre-IPNC dinner event at Lemelson Vineyards winery, which ended up being an incredible evening of amazing food, delicious wine, and best of all, good company. Before getting into too much detail, I want to share something special that happened earlier today on my journey from Seattle to the Willamette Valley. While driving south, I was listening to the radio when Garrison Keillor came on with The Writer's Almanac, his daily feature...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:57 PM | | Comments (3)

June 27, 2008

July 25 - 29: Oregon Pinot or Washington Riesling?

In late July, Oregon and Washington will play host to distinct international wine events, showcasing each state's signature wines: pinot noir and riesling. Folks from around the world will be descending on our region to celebrate these two varietals in both New and Old World forms. For anyone wanting an immersion in Oregon pinot and Washington riesling, the dates Friday, July 25 thru Tuesday, July 29, are an extended weekend to mark on the calendar. First up is the 22nd annual International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), which will be held from Friday, July 25 thru Sunday, July 27 in...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:16 PM |

July 30, 2007

International Pinot Noir Celebration

The International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) was held this past weekend in McMinnville, Oregon. The IPNC is marketed as "three days of seminars, tastings, tours and one-of-a-kind meals with sixty international Pinot noir winemakers, all within the beautiful backdrop of Oregon wine country." Although I wasn't able to attend this year's event, it was almost like being there after reading Alder's daily posts on Vinography.com. Alder has clearly set the benchmark for covering a wine event. His focus on the people encountered and stories shared makes for some great reading and wonderful insights. Alder's reporting style makes you feel like...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:59 AM |


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