Get together and learn with industry colleagues at the 19th annual Oregon Wine Symposium, to be held in Portland February 13-14, 2024
Portland, OR, November 30, 2023 — The Oregon Wine Symposium— the Oregon wine industry’s premier platform on research, business practices, and education – will be held at the Oregon Convention Center on Tuesday, February 13 and Wednesday, February 14, 2024. This year’s Symposium has a truncated 1 ½ day schedule full of networking, learning opportunities and wine tasting so that industry pros don’t need to lose valuable time away from daily operations.
The Symposium education tracks are shaped by industry volunteers of the OWB Education Committee and OWB Education Director and Master of Wine, Bree Stock, who evaluates and creates the curriculum around feedback surrounding the most pressing needs of the Oregon wine industry. The Symposium provides valuable information to industry members that they can’t find in one place anywhere but our home market of Oregon. More than 18 seminars and presentations by global wine experts are packed into the new 1 ½ day format.
Now only two months away, the time is now to take advantage of Early Bird Registration pricing of $295, which will be available until the first week of January 2024.
The most highly-anticipated sessions on deck for the Oregon Wine Symposium 2024 include the following, organized into four specialized tracks:
In the Viticulture track, Understanding Regenerative Farming Practices and Strategies will explore design and implementation of an evolving hot topic as Oregon takes center stage in developing the conscious vineyard. Renowned organic farming expert Bart Anst joins us from New Zealand to take attendees on a deep dive to develop strategies in converting vineyards to organic and regenerative practices. This track is presented by AgWest Farm Credit.
In the Enology track, OWB is putting a spotlight on the reason we’re all in this: The return of the tasting session! In How Vineyard Practices Translate in the Winery, an Oregon Chardonnay exploration is in order. As the variety makes strides on wine store shelves, wine lists and palates, Oregon Chardonnay has experienced a 14% increase in plantings in 2022 over 2021, with 3,109 acres planted and this tasting promises to delight the senses. Brought to you by Core Enology Analytical Services.
Featured in the Sales and Marketing track is Tales from the Terroir with Scott Burns. Burns is a much-loved and energetic Geologist and Oregon native with BS and MS degrees from Stanford University and a PhD in geology from the University of Colorado. A professor at PSU for the past 33 years, Burns specializes in engineering geology (landslides), environmental geology (radon and heavy metals in soils), soils (terroir of wine), Quaternary geology and geomorphology (Missoula Floods).
Finally, for the Leadership & Executive Track, LatinX cofounder of Hispanics in Wine; and owner of Vino Concierge Lydia Richards and Decanter’s US Editor Clive Pursehouse will be two key speakers in Making your Brand and Brand Oregon Meaningful to Media and Consumers.
General Sessions on the first day will feature the keynote address by Dr. Greg Jones, whose Climatology Reportand Vintage Report presentations are always a highlight, and provides well-tuned educated glimpses into the future of Oregon Wine by examining our immediate past.
The second day keynote address will be delivered by longtime Beverage Alcohol Consulting expert Danny Brager and Lesley Berglund of WISE Academy, who will present the annual State of the Industry in the general session.
The Oregon Wine Symposium is co-presented by the Oregon Wine Board (OWB) and Oregon Winegrowers Association (OWA). The educational sessions are produced by the OWB while the trade show is brought to the industry by OWA.
For more information on registration, tickets, discounts, preliminary program, speakers, and special events, visit www.oregonwinesymposium.com.
About the Oregon Wine Board
The Oregon Wine Board is a semi-independent Oregon state agency managing marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. The Board works on behalf of all Oregon wineries and independent growers throughout the state’s diverse winegrowing regions. Visit oregonwine.org.
