This was the 35th year for the Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference on the East Coast. Winery & Vineyard Management magazine sponsored the event. East Coast winery owners and winemakers found the conferences to be grounded in factual information that included insight on how to be a successful winery.
Greater Richmond Convention Center
The Richmond Convention Center is convenient to Interstate 95 and Interstate 64. Richmond International Airport is only 15 minutes away. The winery, viticulture and marketing conferences were in adjacent rooms and marked with ongoing sessions. Only a short walk away, the Trade Show was taking place. The Trade Show offered a variety of items that are essential to operating a vineyard and winery as well as numerous items that would be nice to have but not necessary. Winemakers and owners discovered some of the newest improvements in the wine industry. Large machinery equipment for wineries and vineyards were available to view, ask questions about and to purchase. Equipment included filters, tanks, barrels and vineyard netting equipment.
Wineries Unlimited Pre-Conference
Pre-Conference Day offered participants a day of facts about the East Coast wine industry, how to increase profitability and how to run a wine club. In addition, a great deal of time was spent on custom crush and its benefits. After the event, several winery owners voiced their opinion that the information on custom crush facilities was not relevant for them.
Wineries Unlimited Conference Sessions
Sessions at the conference focused on enology, viticulture and marketing. These sessions were professional and educational for anyone involved in the wine industry. Good advice was offered throughout the meetings. Some suggestions included the advice not to spend a dime until a business plan is in place and marketing a wine is as important as making a good wine. Vital information was included on viticulture for East Coast wineries. Enology sessions detailed modern information for winemaking.
Networking Opportunities Available
Between conference sessions participants frequently were heard enthusiastically discussing the information from the seminars as well as their experiences from their own wineries and vineyards. People were interested in what others were doing at their wineries and others were happy to explain what their wineries were like.
The evening opening reception, in a large foyer, was arranged with numerous tables setup for wine tastings. Those attending the conference donated wines. Inside a large banquet room, a buffet was provided. This was an excellent time to meet and talk with winemaking and vineyard enthusiasts from around the East Coast.
The Trade Show also provided opportunities for networking with winemakers, growers and vendors. The first day of the Conference there was a Trade Show Grazing Lunch. As one walked from vendor to vendor, one could pick up appetizers and beverages set up on small tables between vendors’ areas. This was a good time to talk with others.
Renowned Conference Speakers
Several well-known speakers presented important information for participants, including Randall Grahm from Bonny Doon Vineyard who spoke on the importance of terroir.
Paul Wagner from Balzac Communications and Marketing focused on the importance of marketing wine. No matter how good the wine is that a winery is producing, if no one is buying it, it is not profitable. As serious as Wagner was about his subject, he also had a great delivery style with the ability to add a touch of humor throughout his presentation.
Jim Kennedy, Director of the Viticulture and Enology Research Center at CVSU-Fresno, was delightful to listen to, as he was able to break down the chemistry involved in winemaking into understandable bites.
Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference in 2012
The sharing and learning that existed during the Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference was helpful and interesting. Information about the 2010 Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference is available in another article. The 2012 Wineries Unlimited Trade Show & Conference is scheduled for March 27-29, 2012 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
Kathleen Sullivan - Kathleen Sullivan is the co-owner and writer for Wine Trail Traveler, a winery and vineyard virtual visitor center. The Wine Trail ...
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