Dear Friends,
We’re just a couple days away from this Thursday’s walkthrough of the Community Benchmark/WISE Academy setup process along with a Q&A segment for tasting room managers and business owners. This session will offer details on the grant-funded dashboarding and the staff training program designed to help wineries increase direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing effectiveness and efficiency.
Register here for the 30-minute presentation at 10 a.m., during which you’ll hear more about the incentive to sign up by Wednesday, Dec. 15.
In advance of Thursday’s webinar, feel free to visit the toolkit on our industry website with additional information and recordings of last month’s kickoff meetings.
Looking ahead to next Tuesday, Dec. 14, OWB’s all-industry Zoom room opens again at 11 a.m. for a couple guest speakers with important updates. First, we’ll hear from Tim Matz about recent developments at Linfield University’s Evenstad Center for Wine Education. Then Dr. Elizabeth Savory, a plant pathologist at the Oregon Department of Agriculture, will join us to talk about the work she has been doing with growers to ensure more of the new plant material imported by Oregon vineyard owners is tested in advance for viruses.
This series of open meetings sponsored by OWB continues next year starting on Jan. 11. Register for next year.
While Oregon Wine Month 2022 may seem a long way off, trade members are already planning ahead for ways to expand the program’s impact. Visit OWB’s online toolkit to review the program elements and the sales materials you can use with your top focus accounts. The toolkit includes this 40-minute video from Nov. 10, which provides a concise overview of the support package with some new elements still to come in the next several weeks.
A final online resource that may be of interest is a preview of the new toolkit being designed to keep you up to date on OWB’s business planning and budgeting for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022. It includes a form, which we invite you to submit this month with your ideas and suggestions for the next annual business plan. There’s also an update on OWB’s various committees with a reminder that we are always eager to welcome new volunteers.
Finally, we congratulate Tiquette Bramlett, Cristina Gonzales, and Dr. Greg Jones on their appointments by the Governor to three-year terms on the nine-member Oregon Wine Board. Your new Directors begin their service on Jan. 1, 2022. We thank outgoing Wine Board members Hilda Jones (six years), Bertony Faustin (three years), and Remy Drabkin for their insights, advice and energy as they step down and return to their businesses.
Tom Danowski
President
Marketing
Oregon Wine Month 2022 Updates
The Oregon Wine Month toolkit has been updated with state and regional artwork as well as a comprehensive program deck. The artwork is available for download and is available to be employed by all partners for custom signage, POS, or digital assets. The program deck is available as a PPT and PDF to share with staff, neighbors, accounts, and anyone interested in supporting Oregon Wine Month 2022.
Oregon Wines Get the Spotlight at TEXSOM
On Nov. 14-16, TEXSOM once again gathered industry professionals to meet in Dallas for the global conference. OWB hosted the volunteer luncheon on the initial day of the event, which provided the opportunity to educate and taste with national sommeliers, and to showcase the diversity of Oregon wines. Bree Stock MW educated roughly 100 participants comprised of new and established buyers for all trade channels, as well as media and staff, on the diversity of Oregon’s growing region while tasting through nine distinctive wines. Oregon, as a region, was the only domestic board to present. All attendees of the luncheon have been enrolled in our trade mailing list, as well as prompted to access our Resource Studio to better equip them to learn and promote Oregon wine.
Education
Register for the 2022 Oregon Wine Symposium
The annual premier education event and trade show for the Northwest wine industry, the Oregon Wine Symposium, will once again unite experts from the scientific and wine business communities to share the latest research, best practices, and industry expertise in a virtual format Feb. 15-17, 2022. The Early Bird price of $79 per person is available through Jan. 14. Groups of four or more receive an additional 20% off Full Access tickets per registrant, and there are other discount opportunities for educators, students, and Spanish language speakers. Learn more about the educational program details and register.
Community Benchmark, WISE Academy & OWB Partnership
OWB is proud to announce the successful application for a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Oregon Department of Agriculture that establishes an exciting partnership with Community Benchmark and WISE Academy. The partnership makes available to any Oregon winery a DTC dashboard, detailed analytics, and DTC training expertise for two years. The cost to businesses is $150. Learn more and sign up.
Assemblage Presents: Virtual DE&I Training Series for the Industry
Together with Argyle Winery, Soter Vineyards, King Estate Winery, and Stoller Wine Group, Assemblage invites the Oregon wine industry to participate in a three-part virtual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training led by Seattle-based agency Fleur Larsen Facilitation. Topics will include: building equity-based leadership skills, engaging in and managing healthy conflict, acknowledging workplace generational differences, fostering connection over correction, and creating a culture of belonging to build diverse teams. Remaining sessions take place Dec. 9 and 14. Register now.
Research
December 2021 Weather and Climate Forecast
Dr. Greg Jones recently published an updated weather and climate summary and forecast. This report looks back at November conditions and forecasts conditions for December, and January and February 2022.
Join the OWB Vit & Eno Research Committee
With the request for applications for 2022-23 research projects now open, OWB is still looking for reviewers and members to join the Research Committee. Learn more about the criteria to join here.
McMinnville Wine Classic Competition is calling for registrations and submissions of wine for the 29th annual competition being held on Jan. 8, 2022. Registration closes on Dec. 10. All Oregon wine producers are welcome to submit. All net proceeds benefit St. James School in McMinnville. Judges Panel, competition details, and requirements can be found here and registration can be done on Enofile.
Oregon Wine Press Seeks Information for the 2022 Oregon Wine Almanac | Deadline: Dec. 13
Oregon Wine Press is seeking information from wineries about any milestones achieved in 2021 for inclusion in their annual Oregon Wine Almanac. Editor Hilary Berg is looking for responses to a few simple questions that can be found here.
Wine Spectator is once again offering Oregon wineries the opportunity to be featured together in the March 2022 issue featuring their annual Oregon Wine Report. This co-op page will be designed by Wine Spectator and encourages readers to visit Oregon and buy Oregon wines. Learn more about print and digital advertising opportunities.
Other News
Oregon Wine Industry Forum | Next meeting: Dec. 14
The monthly Oregon Wine Industry Forum continues Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. Register for the final meeting of 2021 to stay current on industry trends, connect with industry members across the state, and keep informed on OWB programming and opportunities. “In the coming new year, we will also continue bringing you regular installments in our ongoing series of all-industry Zoom meetings. Register here for the series of meetings.
Governor’s Conference on Tourism Takes Place in 2022
Travel Oregon’s Governor’s Conference on Tourism returns in 2022 on March 14-16, in Sunriver, Oregon. Registration and room block information will open in Jan. 2022. Save the conference dates on your calendar and look for more information to come. Please direct all questions to events@traveloregon.com.
OLCC Requests Data for Oregon Privilege Tax Online (OPTO)
OLCC is requesting our industry’s help with the following survey, which should take less than 5 minutes.
As OLCC Executive Director Steve Marks mentioned in his remarks to the OWB’s all-industry forum last month, OLCC will soon begin their 2022 conversion to an online tax reporting and payment system for wineries and grape growers. This includes both the privilege tax and the grape tonnage tax. In an effort to help make the process as smooth as possible for wineries, OLCC is looking to gather additional information through the survey. The survey results will assist the Commission in segmenting winery licensees into the correct training groups. Please complete the survey by Jan. 14, 2022.
Tom Danowski
President
