Celebrated annual industry event promises learning and networking opportunities.
By Laurie Wachter
Wine has been grown in California’s North Coast for more than 100 years, but it’s only been in the past 50 that it has truly been recognized as one of the finest wine growing regions in the world. This recognition has continued to flourish due to the passion and commitment of its grape growers, winemakers, vineyard workers, cellar crews, tasting room staff, and supporting industries.
Every Fall after harvest, the North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo), held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, gathers this close-knit region together to pay tribute to this vibrant wine community, celebrate the hard work and dedication of the past year, and educate and inspire the industry for the coming year ahead. At this year’s 11th annual Expo, attendees can catch up with colleagues, and learn about the newest methods, products, and challenges that our industry faces along with the most innovative solutions designed to tackle them. The quality of the content and the presence of local decision-makers on the session panels keep attendees returning year after year.
Each year, issues with an immediate impact or exciting opportunity are selected on four dedicated tracks, all with the objective of helping the wine industry be better prepared for success in the upcoming year.
Strategy and Leadership sessions cover overviews of economic pressures, the financial market, the harvest and its impact on the year ahead, and the looming compliance deadline for the new winery general order on process wastewater.
Winemaking panels discuss new solutions for making low and no-alcohol, low-calorie, and vegan wines, measuring oak compounds with near-infrared technology, optimizing varietal aromas, and creating novel wine styles with new yeast strains. All with the opportunity to taste the wine these methods produce.
Vineyard and Grower experts discuss innovations in managing irrigation and measuring water consumption and carbon sequestration, which includes trial results showing dramatic differences between regenerative and traditional agricultural methods.
Sales and Marketing sessions focus on turning innovation into practical applications, including unleashing the power of video content for your brand, redefining the direct-to-consumer online experience to meet digital natives’ expectations, and making AI a helpful marketing tool.
WIN Expo’s regional event has grown every year since its inception. Attendees from inside and outside the North Coast come to reconnect and stay on top of what’s new. The nearly 300 top providers of products and services who share the Expo floor return year after year to meet with key decision-makers.
In addition to the robust conference program and trade show, the event has grown to add an outdoor large equipment showcase, trial wine-tasting stations, in-booth pouring, and an afternoon networking social providing attendees with an opportunity to engage in more casual conversations with industry colleagues.
To learn more about and to register for the 11th Annual Wine Industry Expo, visit the WIN Expo website.
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Laurie Wachter
Laurie Wachter brings her expertise in consumer behavior, food & beverage marketing and direct-to-consumer sales to writing about innovation and challenges in the consumer packaged goods industry. She works with a global client base from her Northern California Wine Country home.
