2025 Series Presenting Sponsor:
Conference Series Session Dates:
February 5, 2025 • July 2025 • November 2025
Bold Predictions is a virtual Wine Industry Leadership Conference featuring wine industry experts sharing their insights and predictions on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities that wineries can expect to face in the year ahead, along with advice on how to best overcome the challenges while taking full advantage of the opportunities.
Session 1: What to Expect in 2025: Expert Trends and Predictions for the Future of Wine
Broadcast Date: February 5, 2024 – 10:00 am (PT)
Join four wine industry thought leaders as they once again explore the defining challenges and opportunities shaping the wine industry in 2025. Each panelist will present key predictions or trends they believe will be essential for wineries to be aware of to enjoy a successful year ahead.
This dynamic conversation will offer insights from diverse perspectives, helping wineries better navigate the evolving industry landscape and seize emerging opportunities. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights and position your winery for success in 2025.
Session Panel:
Managing Director / Azur Associates
Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain
President / Demeine Estates
Industry Analyst / Rabobank
Session Moderator:
Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business / Sonoma State University
2025 Series Supporting Sponsor:
Are you interested in becoming an official Virtual Conference Sponsor?
Click here to view Sponsorship Opportunities | Contact Us for availability and details
Previous Bold Predictions Broadcasts:
Watch Our Bold Predictions Leadership Sessions from 2020 – 2024:
2024 Series Presenting Sponsor:
Wine Advocates Push Back on Anti-Alcohol Movement (Part I)
Broadcast Date: August 7th, 2024
Recent consumer research demonstrates dramatic shifts in Gen Z and young Millennials’ attitudes about wine consumption while at the same time, anti-alcohol lobbyists are fanning the Neo-Prohibitionist flames. The good news is that wine companies and advocates are fighting back with campaigns that focus on the positive attributes of wine.
In this session, Gino Colangelo will present the findings of a consumer research study conducted by Wine Opinions and Colangelo & Partners, that illustrates the challenges for attracting new wine drinkers. In addition, this session will also include:
- Dave Parker, President of Benchmark Wine Group, will talk about the misinformation propagated by anti-alcohol lobbyists.
- Karen MacNeil, Author of The Wine Bible and Editor of the Digital Newsletter WineSpeed, will present ‘Come Over October,’ a consumer campaign developed by a new mission-driven company ‘COME TOGETHER’ – A Community for Wine.
- Shilah Salmon, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Jackson Family Wines, will present campaigns and sponsorships Jackson Family Wines is initiating to engage younger consumers in active lifestyle consumption occasions.
Attendees will walk away with a better understanding of the challenge facing wine from neo-prohibitionists and tools and inspiration to push back against the rising trend.
Wine Advocates Push Back on Anti-Alcohol Movement (Part II)
Broadcast Date: September 25th, 2024
So many questions were asked during the registration and original broadcast of “Wine Advocates Push Back on Anti-Alcohol Movement”, we decided to bring the panel back for a Part 2 to answer these questions.
Session Panel:
Gino Colangelo, President / Colangelo & Partners
Karen MacNeil, Author/ The Wine Bible; Editor / WineSpeed
Dave Parker, President / Benchmark Wine Group
Shilah Salmon, Senior Vice President of Marketing / Jackson Family Wines
2024 Series Supporting Sponsors:
New Regulations Impacting the Wine Industry
Broadcast Date: April 10, 2024
Seemingly, each year brings new laws and regulations that impact the wine industry and present a maze of compliance issues. This session will feature four experts addressing four areas where new regulations impact vineyards and wineries.
FTC Enforcement and Trade Practice Compliance: As part of the current administration’s initiative to increase competition and assist small and medium sized business in the alcohol beverage market, there’s been a renewed focus on federal trade practices that govern how industry members interact. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission has launched an antitrust investigation focused on one of the nation’s largest alcohol beverage distributors. Given these developments, industry members should brush up on the world of trade practice restrictions in order to avoid any potential pitfalls.
Bottle Bill: The new Bottle Bill has caused a lot of confusion of what’s required to comply. A representative from the Wine Institute who has worked closely with the state will talk about the main features wineries need to be aware of.
New Vineyard Order: A new vineyard order primarily affecting vineyards in the Northern California watersheds is underway, and a representative from the Wine Institute will outline what to expect.
New Employer Mandates: Ever-changing employer mandates are not unique to the wine industry but still affect it. An HR consultant will discuss the most pertinent of the newest employment regulations.
In navigating these complex regulatory landscapes, attendees will gain valuable insights and practical strategies to ensure compliance and mitigate potential risks in the evolving wine industry.
Session Panel:
Noelle Cremers, Director, Environmental & Regulatory Affairs / Wine Institute
Trish Griffus, Senior HR Consultant / The Personnel Perspective
Tim Schmelzer, Vice President, California State Relations / Wine Institute
John Trinidad, Managing Partner / Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty Law
Four Takes on Twentyfour
Broadcast Date: January 17, 2024
Kicking off the 2024 edition of Bold Predictions, titled “Four Takes on Twentyfour”, we are bringing back moderator Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business Institute and panelists Dale Stratton, Managing Director / Azur Associates, Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates and Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank. Joining last year’s panel will be Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain all there to revisit some of last year’s “Bold Predictions” along with sharing their insights and thoughts on what we can expect for our industry in the year ahead.
Session Panel:
Chris Bitter, Senior Wine & Grape Analyst / Terrain
Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates
Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank
Dale Stratton, President / Wine Market Council
Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business / Sonoma State University
Session Sponsor:
– 2023 Broadcasts –
2023 Presenting Sponsor:
Four Takes on TwentyThree
Broadcast Date: February 8, 2023
In this session, four insightful industry leaders with different vantage points will join in a conversation about what they believe will be the defining challenges and opportunities of 2023 for the wine industry. Each panelist will bring one prediction or important trend observation to the conversation that they think will be essential for wineries to tackle for success in 2023.
Session Panel:
Philana Bouvier, President / Demeine Estates
Bourcard Nesin, Industry Analyst / Rabobank
Dale Stratton, President / Wine Market Council
Damien Wilson, Hamel Family Faculty Chair of Wine Business / Sonoma State University
Session Sponsors:
Forecasting the State of the Bulk Wine & Grape Market
Broadcast Date: February 8, 2023
With so many variables to consider, not to mention the unpredictability of any growing season, accurately predicting what the future state of the bulk wine and grape market is challenging to say the least. However, there are indicators that can help, both on the national and international front. This session’s presenters will look at the current state of the market, internationally and domestically, and will share their thoughts on what they believe we can expect as 2023 unfolds.
Session Panel:
Greg Livengood, Partner & President / Ciatti Company
Johnny Leonardo, Broker / Ciatti Company
Maximizing Tax Benefits
Broadcast Date: February 8, 2023
Is your business capturing all the benefits it can? There are several programs from a federal, state, and local level your company may be missing out on! The two tax credit programs we will be discussing are the Research & Development (R&D) tax credit and the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC or ERTC). R&D is an innovative and permanent tax credit that provides tax relief for businesses that are supporting jobs that drive innovations within a competitive market in their industry. While ERC is a complex refundable payroll tax credit that must be prepared properly to maximize refunds legally. There are many ways the wine and vineyard industry can capitalize on this. Learn more about best practices for each of these credits, legal updates, what to look out for in 2023, and much more!
Session Panel:
MODERATOR – Kim Badenfort, Director of Business Development / Wine Industry Network
Stephanie Banuelos, Managing Director of Employment Incentives / Corporate Tax Incentives
Mitch Feldman, Director of Research and Development / Corporate Tax Incentives
– 2022 Broadcasts –
Economic Forecast – What to Expect in 2022
Broadcast Date: February 9, 2022
Challenges from inflation, the supply chain, staffing and labor issues were all felt in 2021 and are issues the industry will continue to deal with in 2022. This session will take a look at the health of the overall economy, as well as provide insight into how current economic factors are specifically influencing the wine industry with advice on how to navigate these challenges safely and securely.
Session Panel:
MODERATOR – George Christie, President & CEO / Wine Industry Network
Robert Eyler, Dean of the School of Extended and International Education / Sonoma State University
Mike Veseth, Editor / The Wine Economist
Session Sponsors:
Talent Retention – Keeping A Strong Team Intact
Broadcast Date: February 9, 2022
Recruiting, managing, and retaining key talent is an ongoing concern, regardless of the size of the winery—and those concerns have evolved over the past 18 months. This session, featuring HR experts, will tackle questions on policies around working remotely, measuring productivity, vaccine requirements, the impact on salary negotiations, and more.
Session Panel:
MODERATOR – Stacy Briscoe, Managing Editor / Wine Industry Network
Karen Alary, Managing Partner / The Personnel Perspective
Sandra Hess, Founder / DTC Wine Workshops
Joel A. Miller, Owner & Principal / ChateauHR Consulting
Session Sponsor:
Successfully Transitioning Your Winery to New Leadership
Broadcast Date: February 9, 2022
This session is focused on advising winery owners/principals on how best to position their winery for its next leader. Whether looking for a smooth and cost-effective way to transition to the next generation or preparing maximize the financial opportunity with a sale, our panel of experts will offer their experience and expertise on helping you to achieve your goals.
Session Panel:
MODERATOR – Kim Badenfort, Director of Marketing Services / Wine Industry Network
Greg Brewer, Founder & Winemaker / Brewer-Clifton
Peter Mondavi Jr, Co-Proprietor / Charles Krug Winery
Mario Zepponi, Principal / Zepponi & Company
– 2020 Broadcasts –
A 2021 Economic Overview; What’s in Store for the Next 12 Months
Broadcast Date: December 16, 2020
The 2020 impact on the economy is an unprecedented one, beginning with the COVID-19 outbreak on an international level, followed by two major fire events locally, creating an environment that many businesses will not recover from. What are the lingering effects of these events? What does recovery look like and when will the local economy begin to resemble what we were experiencing prior to this year? How have different counties in the North Coast responded and what do the indicators tell us about the future?
This session, presented by Robert Eyler Ph.D., Professor of Economics and Dean, School of Extended and International Education at Sonoma State University, will look back on the year, beginning with a broad overview at a national level, then drilling down to take a closer look at the local economy, providing insights into travel, tourism, consumer trends and what 2021 could look like.
Session Panel:
Robert Eyler Ph.D., Professor of Economics and Dean / School of Extended and International Education at Sonoma State University
Session Sponsors:
State of the North Coast Grape & Bulk Wine Market 2021
Broadcast Date: December 16, 2020
The North Coast grape and bulk wine market has been a tumultuous one this year, to say the least. Beginning with the pandemic impact on consumer purchasing behavior, coupled with major fire events in the middle of harvest, resulting in an environment of uncertainty and unpredictability.
Ultimately, how did the harvest wind up for the North Coast? How have other grape-growing regions around the state been affected? What are the consumer indicators telling us and how will that affect the demand for North Coast grapes? What is the status of the bulk wine market? How have prices been impacted? What might 2021 look like for the grape and bulk wine market?
These questions and more will be addressed by presenters, Brian Clements, Vice President, and Bryan Foster, National Sales Manager of Strategic Brands, both of Turrentine Brokerage, in this interactive session.
Session Panel:
Bryan Foster, National Sales Manager of Strategic Brands / Turrentine Brokerage
Brian Clements, Vice President / Turrentine Brokerage
Session Sponsors:
The COVID Impact on Consumer Purchasing Behavior; What to Expect in 2021
Broadcast Date: December 16, 2020
2020 began as anticipated from a wine consumer perspective, but the outbreak of COVID-19 had an unprecedented impact on the way wine was being purchased as well as where those purchases were taking place.
How have sales evolved over the last year with regard to price point and channel? What changes are we seeing in purchasing attitudes and behavior? Has the pandemic driven more attention to the health benefits of wine versus other alcoholic beverages? With the anticipation of a vaccine on the horizon, what are the indicators telling us about wine sales and consumer buying trends for the upcoming year? What changes in behavior are not related to the pandemic, but a continuation of underlying trends in wine consumption?
This session, presented by Dale Stratton, SipSource Analyst, and Christian Miller, Research Director, Wine Market Council, will highlight 2020 purchasing trends and the effect on sales channels over the last year and what we can expect as we head into a new year.
Session Panel:
Dale Stratton, Analyst / SipSource
Christian Miller, Research Director, Wine Market Council
Session Sponsors:
2020-2023 Bold Predictions: Wine Industry Leadership
Series Sponsors:
