‘Balanced’ Californian wineries head to UK

28 like-minded Californian producers of “balanced” Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are to take part in a central London event on Monday 22 February.

Sommelier Rajat Parr is a founder member of In Pursuit of Balance. Picture credit: Sandhi Wines

Sharing an aim to “produce balanced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in California”, the collection of wineries is called In Pursuit of Balance (IPOB), and was founded four years ago when friends Jasmine Hirsch of Hirsch Vineyards, and sommelier Rajat Parr of the Michael Mina Group, cobbled together an idea for a Pinot Noir tasting on the back of a napkin, inviting their favourite producers and friends to an impromptu tasting in San Francisco – spawning an event that became one of the most talked about tastings of 2011.

IPOB has since laid on tastings in Los Angeles, New York, Texas and Japan, while next year’s London event marks the first time that the group has come to the UK.

Members of the organisation share an approach that favours traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques, cool and marginal vineyard sites and minimal use of new oak.

IPOB’s ‘manifesto of balance’ can be read here and is focused on methods to achieve balance in the vineyard and discourage manipulation in the cellar.

The In Pursuit of Balance (IPOB) tasting will be held at Central London on Monday 22 February 2016.

This is a trade only event, and attendance is by invitation only, so if you wish to be on the guest list please email info@limmpr.com

As part of the tasting there will be two seminars taking place on the day.

The 28 wineries coming are:

Au Bon Climat
Chanin
Copain
Domaine de la Cote
Drew
Failla
Hanzell
Hirsch
Kutch
LIOCO
Liquid Farm
Littorai
LUTUM
Matthiasson
Mignanelli
Mount Eden
Native9
Poe
Presqu’ile
Red Car
Sandhi
Small Vines
Fogarty
Twomey
Tyler
Varner
Wenzlau
Wind Gap Wines