Below are answers to common questions about the OWB’s Oregon Wine Trail events.
Past:
Los Angeles | April 24, 2018
Toronto | April 9, 2019
New York City | May 6, 2019
Upcoming:
San Francisco | March 4, 2020
Seattle | May 11, 2020
To see what else has been communicated about these events, see these blog posts:
OWB Awarded Grant for Out-of-State Events (Nov. 2, 2017)
OWB to Partner with Feast Portland for Upcoming Events (Jan. 5, 2018)
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Tastings (Aug. 30, 2018)
Oregon Wine Trail NYC Registration Opens Next Week (Oct. 17, 2018)
New York City Event Recap (June 4, 2019)
Oregon Wine Trail 2020 Event Registration Opening Soon (Sep. 30, 2019)
Web Links
What are the web properties for the event?
Click here for OWB’s event micro site, hosted on our consumer web property www.oregonwine.org. This page links out to past events and will link to future events when appropriate.
General
Who is assisting in planning this event?
OWB enlisted the help of Feast Portland and Lookout Co. to concept the Oregon Wine Trail event series.
To execute our 2020 events in San Francisco and Seattle we’ve contracted Full Circle Wine Solutions based in the SF Bay Area.
What is the format of the event?
- Masterclass Seminar for key buyers, presented by Bree Stock MW
- Trade and media walk around tasting
- Consumer tasting (ticketed entrance)
Where will the 2020 events be held?
TERRA Gallery – San Francisco
Block 41 – Seattle
Winery Logistics
Who from my winery should attend?
It is strongly encouraged that at least one of your winery representatives is the winemaker/owner/other principal, to maximize the effectiveness of your interactions with the trade decision-makers present.
How many representatives can I send?
There will be space for two representatives per winery.
Do I need to already have a distributor in each market?
As the primary trade members that will be recruited to attend this event are buyers from top restaurant and independent retail accounts, participation is most suitable for wineries that are already working with a distributor in each market.
If you are seeking representation in the market, you are welcome to register but are strongly urged to set up in-market work plans and contact prospective distributors about appointments well in advance.
What kind of space will I have to pour?
Each winery will have 4ft. of space on a shared 8ft. table. OWB will provide all needed elements for you and our guests with the exception of wine.
How much wine will I need to provide?
Wineries may show up to four different wines. We recommend that you bring six bottles of each.
How / to where / by when do my wines need to be shipped?
San Francisco participants will be asked to consolidate wine in Oregon for mass shipment in February. OWB will provide all details and execute the logistics.
Seattle participants are asked to bring wine directly to the venue on event day. A consolidation shipment will not be arranged and delivery to the venue prior to event day is not an option.
What about travel? When do I need to arrive?
Given proximity, it may be possible to arrive in each market the morning of the event. Please consider however that air travel is often delayed or unreliable. It is generally safest to arrive in each market the day before the event and plan to leave the day after. However, you are encouraged to extend your trip to make account visits, host in-store tastings or winemaker dinners, etc.
What are the best hotel options in the area?
Coming soon…
What other information will I be required to provide?
In addition to the usual information (winery information, wines poured, local distributor, etc.), you will be asked to provide the OWB with your current sales in the market prior to and one year after the event. This will help us prove success to the USDA/ODA, which are helping to fund this event through a Specialty Crop Block grant.
Registration
Where do I register?
Registration for 2020 Oregon Wine Trail events is closed.
What is the fee to participate?
There is a $650 participation fee per winery.
What other costs are involved that I should plan for?
You will be required to send one or two winery representatives to pour at the event, including their travel costs.
You will also need to provide the wine to pour.
How will wineries be selected?
Wineries will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis within their regional allocation. The available spots will be allocated to regions in accordance with their proportional annual harvested tonnage. The regions are:
- Willamette Valley (includes Portland wineries)
- Southern Oregon (Rogue and Umpqua valleys)
- Eastern Oregon (Columbia Gorge and Walla Walla Valley)
When will I know if my spot is confirmed?
Confirmed wineries were notified on Nov. 1.
What happens if I do not end up with a spot?
Wineries exceeding the allocated number of spots will be placed on a waitlist in order of their registration.
What if a region does not fill its allotted spots?
Wineries on the wait list will be used to fill any empty spots, regardless of region.
When will my payment be processed?
Payment will be requested from the allocated wineries at the time of confirmation. Submitting payment is the process by which your participation slot is confirmed.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellations on or before December 15 will incur a $100 fee to cover processing costs. Cancellations after Dec. 15 will forfeit the full registration fee.
Other
I’d like to invite my top accounts / distributor reps / wine club members to attend. How can I do that?
Great! We want your help in spreading the word about this event. We will provide confirmed participating wineries with digital invitations, registration links, and social media assets that can be used for this purpose by the time attendee registration opens.
Can I get comp passes or discount codes for my local family and friends?
A friends and family rate will be available to use at your discretion. Complimentary consumer tickets are not available.
How will the wines be selected for the masterclass seminar?
Master of Wine, Bree Stock will select the wines used for the Oregon Wine Trail San Francisco and Seattle master classes. 50%+ of the wines used for the master class will be from producers participating in the event with local distribution. The remaining 50% or less of the line-up will be reserved for wines by producers not at the event and/or without local distribution in the case that Bree feels there is a gap in her curriculum. Bree draws on her elite Master of Wine training, extensive experience tasting Oregon wines and references TEXSOM, Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator Scores, as well as in-market trade professionals when selecting wines that represent the highest level of typicity and quality in their category.
I have a question that hasn’t been answered here. Who can I talk to?
Email your questions to [email protected] and we will reply to your email as soon as possible.
