NAPA / SONOMA, CALIFORNIA |April 19, 2023: On Wednesday, April 26, 2023, from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. PST, the Napa | Sonoma chapter of Women for WineSense’s (WWS) Winemaking & Viticulture Roundtable will host “Compelling Story Telling – Connecting with New Wine Consumers and Culture,” a fresh, dynamic and highly interactive live Zoom seminar with Chasity Cooper, a Chicago-based award-winning writer, entrepreneur, and wine culture expert. Discussion will be fast paced and tailored to assist senior level wine industry leaders, particularly owners, viticulturists, winemakers and other frequent brand spokespeople, on how to elevate their wine stories and how to make them accessible to a broader audience. Ms. Cooper will also bridge how to achieve these new connections while also improving how we speak to other critical audiences including current consumers, media and trade.
ABOUT THE EVENT
Chasity Cooper will share extensive skills from her personal toolbox working with many publications and adult beverage brands which shape her thinking as both a consumer and a critic. Then, she will dive into the complex communications puzzle our wine brands need to solve for success now and in the future. Specifically, Ms. Cooper will discuss ways to improve how we speak concisely and with fresh passion. She will share many tips and tools to consider to connect with four critical audiences; new wine consumers (our future core consumers), while staying true to current core wine consumers, plus how to speak to the rapidly evolving wine media, and distilling it down to be meaningful yet brief with the trade. Attendees can anticipate a fun, power packed, highly interactive conversation.
Both active professional WWS members and any wine industry professional guests are welcome to attend the live Roundtable. All registered attendees will receive a private Zoom registration link. At 3:25 p.m. PST, site log-ins open. At 3:30 p.m. PST, the livestream begins, concluding at 5:00 p.m., PST. In addition, an on-demand event recording will be available for WWS professional members after the seminar that log in on the organization’s website.
The event moderator will be Alicia Sylvester, winemaker for Banshee Wines and long time WWS Winemaking and Viticulture Roundtable Planning Committee member. She noted, “It’s time to learn something new and fresh from a writer and wine culture expert! With a Chicago flare, Chasity brings exciting new views on how to really connect with new consumers through storytelling, travel, and wine education. Her name might sound familiar as she was recently honored as a Wine Industry Leader in Wine Business Monthly’s November 2022 issue and was a featured speaker in Napa Valley Vintners’ 2022 Wine Writers’ Symposium.”
Julie Lumgair, winemaker for Art Nouveau Wines and chair of the WWS Winemaking and Viticulture Roundtable noted, “We’re excited to host this senior level viticulture and winemaking driven conversation and warmly welcome a broad array of wine professionals as guests to this event from California, New York, Texas, Florida, Washington and Oregon. Chasity brings great experience and incredible energy to her presentations and writing. Our seminar will be packed with information that will help us freshen up our wine stories and specific strategies that attendees can easily put into practice.”
RSVP DETAILS
This live Roundtable is open to all wine industry professional guests that are pre-registered by 10 a.m., April 26, 2023 at this weblink. Qualified professionals may register on the weblink or email and receive RSVP instructions. To RSVP, or for any questions on this event or future WWS Roundtable events, please contact the Chair, Julie[dot]Lumgair[at]gmail[dot]com.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Chasity Cooper is a Chicago-based award-winning writer, entrepreneur, and wine culture expert. She has articles published in outlets such as Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, Food & Wine Magazine, Chicago Tribune, and Imbibe Magazine, and has also executed several creative partnerships with notable wine and spirit brands. Ultimately, her goal is to make wine more accessible and relatable to every palate through storytelling, and cultivate spaces for people to enjoy wine and grow their community.
ABOUT THE MODERATOR
Alicia Sylvester cultivated her strong work ethic and love of agriculture growing up on her family’s almond farm with 20-acres of Zinfandel in California’s Central Valley. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University then worked back-to-back harvests in notable regions of Australia, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, then domestic harvests including Chateau Montelena and Sonoma Cutrer. Over several years at Lancaster Estate she helped develop some their Top 100 wines while making a superb impact on wine quality, sustainability and safety. Staying at Foley Family Wines, she became head winemaker at Merus in March 2019 then in December 2020, became winemaker for Banshee, with a focus on Sonoma County site-specific, authentic Pinot Noirs and more that are true to style and character.
ABOUT WWS NAPA | SONOMA CHAPTER ROUNDTABLES
The founding chapter’s eight professional roundtables serve to provide a welcoming and confidential environment to meet in 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 C-suite skills, insights and community building as well as ‘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. To join or learn more about the roundtables, please visit www.womenforwinesense.org or contact the chapter’s Roundtables Director, Hillary Silva, hillaryfrasersilva[at] gmail[dot]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. Women and men 21 years old or more are welcome to join. Information on the national chapter and 10 regional chapters is at https://womenforwinesense.org.
