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California group In Pursuit of Balance will close its doors at the end of the year

Published:  24 May, 2016

The California group In Pursuit of Balance announced yesterday that it will be closing its doors and hosting its final tasting in San Francisco at the end of the year.

The IPOB as founded in by Jasmine Hirsch of Hirsch Vineyards and Rajat in 2011. Parr is proprietor of Sandhi Wines and Domaine de la Côte in Santa Barbara County, and Hirsch, the general manager of Hirsch Vineyards on the Sonoma Coast.

The group was set up "to change the dialogue around the meaning and importance of balance in California wine," according to Hirsch.  The group which now is made up of 36 wineries across California has achieved that goal.

"We created IPOB at a time when this conversation was not taking place on a broad and public level. We achieved what we intended - to bring the debate around balance and winemaking styles to the forefront of the wine community. This debate will continue in California and around the world, and it is by no means finished. We wanted to end on a high note," said Hirsch.

When Parr and Hirsch set up IPOB they wrote a Manifesto of Balance which helped to define the purpose of the group. It mission was "to bring together like-minded growers, winemakers, sommeliers, retailers, journalists and consumers who believe in the potential of California to produce profound and balanced Pinot Noirs. This isn't a rebellion, but rather a gathering of believers," according to the manifesto.

"It started as a small event to draw attention to producers who weren't chasing after ratings from wine critics. It wasn't supposed to be an ideological war, but we felt that balanced wines (in California) weren't being paid enough attention to by the wine community, so we decided to shine some light on what we were doing," said Parr.

The group as it expanded and added more wineries to its ranks looks its tasting not just across the US to cities like Los Angles and New York, but hosted international tasting as well, including an annual tasting in London.

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