Great Escape: The 3rd Annual Pinot Days Returns to Los Angeles This Week

The 3rd Annual Pinot Days is coming to West Los Angeles and Santa Monica this week courtesy of the Bay Area Wine Project. This is a distinctly different wine event because wine makers and winery owners are doing the actual pouring instead of hired hands. The events begin on Thursday, January 26 and culminate in a grand event on Saturday, January 28.

Start off on Thursday with a choice of two events. The Winemakers "Table Hop" Dinner at Wine House Upstairs will be held from 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Chef Todd Barrie will prepare a five course dinner paired with 10 different pinots ($90 per person).  The dinner will be attended by the winemakers themselves.  Just north at Sunset, the West Restaurant at Hotel Angleno will have a "Santa Rita Palooza"  for $35 per person from 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. which will explore wines of the region with the winemakers. Meet the winemakers and sample wines paired with appetizers.

On Friday, venture back to the Wine House for Pinots and Grilled Cheese from 8:15 p.m.- 10 p.m. for $35 per person. Ten pinot producers will pour their finest pinots while Chef Barrie will present variations of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

On Saturday from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., it's the Grand Tasting at Santa Monica's Barker Hanger. Tickets are $60-$100. The event will showcase over 80 producers of pinot noir. Approximately 300 pinots will be available to sample — from every important pinot noir region, from the Russian River Valley to the Santa Rita Hills, Oregon to the Anderson Valley, Burgundy to New Zealand to the Sonoma Coast. Meet the winemakers and learn about the pinot noir industry first hand. Le Pain Quotidien and Whole Foods will serve food that pairs well with pinot. 

For more information and tickets, go to www.pinotdays.com.