WiVi 2017 is the largest wine industry gathering on the Central Coast
March 15 event features the latest in wine making, viticulture and direct-to-consumer sales
– WiVi Central Coast has finalized its lineup of educational sessions, speakers and tastings for the March 15 conference at the Paso Robles Event Center. Presented by the “Wine Business Monthly,” the wine industry’s leading trade publication. WiVi brings together nearly 200 wine industry suppliers to network with members of the wine community from Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The one-day trade show is the largest gathering of wine and viticulture vendors on California’s Central Coast and will feature the Vineyard Automation Center, which will showcase new and innovative vineyard equipment. Organizers expect over 1,000 members of the wine trade to attend the annual event.The one-day trade show and conference features the newest products and technology on the trade show floor focuses on three core areas:
- Enology
- Viticulture
- Direct-to-Consumer wine sales
Eric Jorgensen, owner and president of the publication said “ The Central Coast is so important to the California wine industry. By focusing our educational content, tastings, and winemaker trials on this region we are working toward its goal to build WiVi as the go-to event for wine professionals from Monterey to Santa Barbara.”
The opening general session features three keynote speakers, each offering insights of the Central Coast wine industry:
- Jeff O’Neill of O’Neill Vineyard, who recently purchased Robert Hall Winery
- Phil Markert, key buyer for Safeway
- Celebrated wine critic Elaine Brown
The Direct-to-Consumer sessions kick-off with Barbara Talbott, formerly of Four Seasons Resorts, who will discuss the role high-touch customer service plays in attracting and gaining loyal customers. Santa Barbara Vintners’ Executive Director Morgen McLaughlin
will lead the session. Additional Direct-to-Consumer sessions will feature presentations on results of the recent Silicon Valley Bank tasting room survey led by Lesley Berglund and an in-depth look at the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools that work best for the region’s top tasting rooms, led by Sandra Hess.
Winegrowing sessions will delve into red blotch, canopy management, vineyard automation and phenolic analysis, including a wine tasting with Cal Poly Enology professor Federico Casassa and winemakers Christian Roguenant, Anthony Yount and Kevin Sass.
This year’s varietal focus tasting will highlight Pinot Noir and feature wines from Burgundy, Sonoma and the Central Coast, with three winemakers – Greg Brewer, of Brewer-Clifton, Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company and Sabrine Rodems of Wrath Wines – presenting their wines. Led by wine critic and author Lance Cutler, the varietal focus tasting takes an in-depth look at the varietal through the eyes of a winemaker.
“2017 will be another strong year at WiVi,” said Cyril Penn, editor-in-chief of Wine Business Monthly. “This year’s line-up is especially insightful with the Pinot Noir varietal focus tasting, phenolics tasting and updates on red blotch. The diverse selection of winemaker
trials should also draw those looking to see what winemakers are experimenting with in the cellar.”
Twelve trials from Central Coast wineries were selected for the winemaker trials tasting on the tradeshow floor, offering professionals a glimpse into the latest innovative experiments. This year’s trials include wines presented by: Chamisal, Daou, Halter Ranch, Niner and four trials from the Applied Research Cooperative (ARC) from Laffort.
Registration for the trade to attend is now open. For more information about WiVi Central Coast 2017 and to register for the trade show, winemaker trials and educational sessions, visit the website.
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