Pinot Noir Around the World - Masterclass and Tasting

Capital Branch and London Branch jointly held a unique masterclass and guided tasting of Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is widely considered the pinnacle of winemaking. At its best, it shines with ethereal beauty and layers of captivating complexity. However, it is a challenging grape - it struggles to ripen properly given its early budding, thin skinned and delicate nature. And yet, it seems to do particularly well in marginal climates and growing conditions.

The event featured a screening of the IWFS-produced video Pinot Noir Around the World. The video stars Anne Krebiehl, a renowned Master of Wine who is a world expert on Pinot Noir. She is the winner of the 2024 Wine Communicator Trophy awarded by The International Wine & Spirit Competition. In her inimitably lucid style, Anne guided participants through regions around the world - starting with its fascinating historical roots in Burgundy.

Along the way, participants tasted premium-grade pinot noir produced in six regions - Burgundy, Alsace, Germany, Oregon, New Zealand and Australia.

An exciting late addition to the event was the attendance of founder Graham Martin of Martin's Lane Vineyard, a leading producer of still pinot noir wine from the exciting Crouch Valley, in Essex, England. Graham discussed the terroir of his pinot noir vineyard, and led a tasting of their 2022 Founders Vintage wine. The wine showed very well in comparison to the wines from the other regions, throwing a spotlight on how promising England is in producing world class still wines. 

The event was preceded by a delicious glass of bubbly (a Champagne Blanc de Noir, of course!) and accompanied by an assortment of cold and warm nibbles.

This video was an accompaniment to the 2023 IWFS monograph focused on Pinot Noir and authored by Anne, available here: Monographs - The International Wine & Food Society (IW&FS) (iwfs.org)