SACRAMENTO, Calif., October 26, 2020 – The 2021 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium will open its registration on Tuesday, November 3, at 9 a.m. PST. The conference will be a full virtual experience – from the sessions to the trade show exhibits.
“After the year we have had, the Unified Symposium is more important than ever. The 2021 Unified will feature leading experts and convene people from all parts of the industry to deliver outstanding, insightful program sessions. Anyone who wants to understand how to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities confronting our industry should register for the Unified,” said John Aguirre, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), which co-sponsors the Unified.
Key highlights for the 2021 Unified Symposium include:
- A comprehensive session on the effects of wildfire smoke on grape and wine quality will open the Unified on Tuesday, January 26, with a panel of experts, including Tom Collins from Washington State University and Anita Oberholster from the University of California, Davis. They, and other speakers, will share the latest information on smoke issues and winegrowing, including applied solutions currently in place, the state of research in the United States, industry collaboration opportunities and understanding the risks moving forward.
- The popular State of the Industry will be held on Wednesday, January 27, with speakers Danny Brager from Brager Beverage Alcohol Consulting, Jeff Bitter from Allied Grape Growers and Glenn Proctor from The Ciatti Company, with moderator Mike Veseth from The Wine Economist.
- For Thursday, January 28, the Unified Symposium will address diversity and inclusion in senior leadership, operations, sales, marketing and hospitality as the key to success in the wine and grape industry.
Additionally, hundreds of the 2021 exhibitors will showcase their products and services under the virtual platform. There is no fee to visit the virtual trade show, but registration is required. To allow for more personal connections between vendors and attendees during the virtual trade show, attendees can easily access videos, informational PDFs and links to vendors’ websites and social media. Attendees can also use live chat to communicate with vendors, or make appointments for more in-depth conversations.
“Hosting a completely virtual event has presented both challenges and opportunities for the Unified’s organizing committee. We’ll miss the live in-person interaction, but moving the 2021 Unified online has allowed us to significantly increase accessibility and convenience for our guests located throughout the world. It also allows our exhibitors’ brand presence to remain strong, and we’re excited about the potential to reach more attendees,” said Dan Howard, executive director of the American Society for Enology & Viticulture, co-sponsor of Unified Symposium.
Built with the joint input of growers, vintners and allied industry members, the Unified Symposium has served as a clearinghouse of information important to wine and grape industry professionals for 26 years. The Unified Symposium also hosts the industry’s largest trade show of its kind. The virtual trade show will host several hundred vendors showcasing their products and services. For more information and to register, visit www.unifiedsymposium.org.
