NAPA / SONOMA, CALIFORNIA |March 3, 2021: On Wednesday , March 3, 2021, from 3:15 p.m. to 5:00 pm the Napa | Sonoma chapter of Women for WineSense’s (WWS) Winemaking & Viticultural Roundtable “Legends” series returns, with a candid and inspiring conversation with wine pioneer, entrepreneur and mentor, Zelma Long. The event will be hosted live online with private zoom registration links for active members.
ABOUT THE EVENT: The conversation will be filled with insights about Zelma Long’s journey and the technical, entrepreneurial and management skills she developed in order to run many sizes of businesses as a successful CEO, global consulting winemaker and winery owner while balancing her time for family, lifelong learning and much more.
The Roundtable’s goal is to share specific lessons learned, mentoring insights and foster lively Q&A to help attendees in their own pursuits.
At 3:15 p.m. early log-ins will be admitted for zoom pre-mingle to enjoy informally reconnecting. At 3:30 p.m., Roundtable leaders will cover announcements and upcoming events. At 3:40 p.m. Roundtable moderators Jennifer Higgins and Melissa Castro will interview Ms. Long followed by interactive Q&A. Advance questions welcomed by email to (melapter@gmail.com) or attendees can use event zoom chat. A zoom replay for members that miss the live event has been scheduled as well.
Roundtable Chair, Julie Lumgair noted, “Our Roundtable has over one hundred winemaking and viticultural professional members that have joined in a spirit of community and fostering excellence. A conversation with Zelma Long is the perfect way for us to celebrate Women’s History Month and Zelma’s tremendous contribution to our industry.“
RSVP DETAILS: The free roundtable meeting is open exclusively to WWS Winemaking & Viticulture Roundtable active members. Qualified interested women winemakers and viticulturists that have emailed and received RSVP new member confirmations through the Roundtable Chair may join prior to the event and attend.
To RSVP, or for any questions on this event or future WWS Winemaking Roundtable events, please contact the Chair (Julie@Lumgair.com).
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: The iconic Zelma Long has fifty years of winemaking experience in three states, six nations, plus Napa and Sonoma, with a total of seventy vintages. Career highlights include chief enologist at Robert Mondavi, then progressing as winemaker to president and CEO for Simi, then EVP of Chandon Estates. Since 1997, with husband Phil Freese, she has built the winemaking for their South Africa Vilafonte winery and vineyard and consulted around the globe. In 1978, she founded the American Vineyard Foundation as a means to finance research in enology and viticulture and has also served or headed many other industry organizations through the years and received a very long list of professional commendations, including the James Beard Award and the Outstanding Alumni award from UC Davis.
As she noted in Wine Enthusiast (2/2020), “I continue to mentor young women in all fields, when the opportunity presents itself, suggesting education, including travel, problem solving and encouraging belief and confidence in one’s skills and abilities.”
ABOUT THE WINEMAKING & VITICULTURAL ROUNDTABLE: This WWS Roundtable meets approximately six times a year, taking a harvest break. During pandemic, the events have moved online and will resume at hosted member wineries with celebration when safety allows.
Ms. Lumgair noted “Our past meeting topics have focused upon the C-suite professional skills and insights women winemakers and viticultural professionals need but aren’t always easy to get in their daily work environment.”
She further explained that, “Held online in since Spring 2020 and pre-pandemic at some of Napa and Sonoma’s finest host wineries, these programs have been a fantastic opportunity for over 100 member women winemakers and viticulturists to connect directly, in a friendly professional forum, with experts that they otherwise wouldn’t get to meet for personal advice and questions. Some of our noted speakers have included numerous top wine publication critics and senior editors, leading academics, global sensory consultants, sommeliers, media trainers, CFO’s and GM’s in panel discussions and key industry career coaches and top level recruiters.”
ABOUT ADDITIONAL WWS ROUNDTABLES: WWS’ eight current professional roundtables serve to provide a welcoming and confidential environment to meet in small peer groups on a bi-monthly or quarterly basis. Members network, provide advice and support for one another, as well as foster educational occasions by inviting guest speakers in their fields and discussing ‘hot issues’ facing members in their day-to-day work. Multiple Roundtables have developed for WWS industry members in finance, accounting, human resources, winemaking/viticulture and marketing/direct-to-consumer fields.
The Napa/Sonoma Chapter currently has more than 400 members of which 80% are wine industry professionals. To join or learn more about WWS’ roundtables, please visit www.womenforwinesense.org. For inquiries about other WWS roundtables for additional functions besides winemaking and viticulture, contact the Napa| Sonoma Chapter’s Roundtables Director, Hillary Silva (hillaryfrasersilva@gmail.com).
ABOUT WOMEN FOR WINESENSE: WWS is a national not-for-profit organization 501(c)6. The Napa| Sonoma Chapter founded in 1990 is the founding chapter of this national organization which provides outstanding educational and networking opportunities to both wine industry professionals and wine enthusiasts by presenting educational, insightful and stimulating events in a welcoming, fun environment. Both men and women of legal drinking age are welcome to join. There is an exciting line-up of events planned for 2021 starting virtually, with plans to migrate to a mix of virtual and in person events as pandemic conditions safely allow.
To join or learn more, please visit www.womenforwinesense.org.
