"A good lively discussion of significant issues facing winemakers and marketers."

In its inaugural year, 2003, the Pinot Noir Forum's roots were planted from a few simple conversations over lattes and scrambled eggs on toast at the Willowood Market in the small Russian River Valley burg of Graton.

Many a foggy morning Daniel Moore, winemaker at Arista Winery, and Bob Cabral, winemaker at Williams Selyem, commiserated about the need for a world-class pinot noir event in one of the most important regions for the grape in the world. "No pinot event in Russian River Valley, humph!" exclaimed Daniel and Bob, "that's like no hot sauce for the scrambles!" Some time later, joined by grower Ken Coopersmith of Merry Edwards Wines, the three formed a small group that would propagate the first and extremely successful Pinot Noir Forum.