Portland, Ore. (Dec. 16, 2015) – The Oregon Wine Board will host the 2016 Oregon Wine Symposium on Feb. 23-24 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The Symposium is expected to gather 1,400 attendees from across the Northwest wine community. Attendees will have an expansive educational opportunity to learn from world renowned wine industry experts covering topics from business and marketing to viticulture and enology.
Doug Frost, one of only four people in the world to hold the titles Master Sommelier (MS) and Master of Wine (MW), will share insights on the importance of context-setting in storytelling and why wineries should draw on the power of Oregon’s reputation for exceptional quality wines and sustainable practices when presenting to buyers during the session Context is King: Using the Oregon Story to Build Your Brand.
“The Oregon wine industry’s greatest strength has been its ability to work together to better all Oregon wines; its quality growth is unprecedented in American wine history,” said Doug Frost, MS, MW. “The Oregon Wine Symposium builds upon that legacy, gathering professionals both local and international to discover how Oregon wine can be better grown, made, packaged, marketed and sold. It is always a delight to be a part of this event.”
The wine business sessions are comprised of topics relevant to managers and staff across all levels of business. Other wine business sessions will give attendees expert advice on how to manage sales efforts across channels and best practices in direct-to-consumer strategies.
Lesley Berglund, founder of WISE Academy, will lead the session Strategies for Building Your Direct Business. A highly rated Symposium speaker veteran, Lesley has 24 years of experience in the wine industry with extensive knowledge of direct to consumer marketing of fine wines. She will present on the top 10 tasting room practices to help wineries drive more sales while also raising the bar for guest satisfaction.
The panelists in Striking a Balance with Multichannel Engagement will look at diversifying and balancing sales efforts across channels. David Millman of Domaine Drouhin Oregon and Lindsay Woodard of Retour Winery will provide strategies for evaluating a brand’s point in its lifecycle, insights on the competitive environment and ways to leverage unique assets to develop a profitable growth plan. The session will be moderated by Allan Carter of Southern Wine & Spirits.
Additional Symposium content sessions include viticulture and enology. The Symposium also features the Northwest’s biggest wine industry trade show, featuring more than 200 exhibitors. New to the Symposium in 2016 is the Oregon Wine Soirée, held at the Leftbank Annex on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. The Soirée will feature wines from across Oregon, hors d’oeuvres and live music, giving attendees, presenters and exhibitors the opportunity to network in a fun, relaxed environment. A separate ticket is required to attend the Soirée.
For a complete schedule of the program, speakers, events and to register, visit symposium.oregonwine.org.
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About the Oregon Wine Board
The Oregon Wine Board is a semi-independent Oregon state agency managing marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. The Board works on behalf of all Oregon wineries and independent growers throughout the state’s diverse winegrowing regions. For more information visit industry.oregonwine.org.
