A constantly evolving and competitive business, the wine industry is one of the largest sectors of the North Coast economy. Modern winemakers and wine professionals can develop their skills through continued education, networking, and professional development to stay relevant in a business that poses innumerable challenges, from changing consumer opinions to climate change to an evolving digital landscape. 

The 9th Annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo) will once again be bringing wine industry professionals from Sonoma, Napa, Lake, and Mendocino Counties together for a day of education and collaboration at the second largest wine industry trade show in the country. Attendees will benefit from networking with other wine professionals and learning from experts who will share their specialized knowledge of the industry.

Whether you’re a winemaker, a winery and vineyard owner, or a wine marketer, the success of your business depends on knowing the latest techniques and trends in the wine industry. In addition to the products and services found on the trade show floor, the 2021 WIN Expo will host 15 workshops grouped into four tracks, with expert-led curriculum demonstrating cutting edge winemaking and growing practices, as well as business and marketing strategies to help wineries remain competitive in this ever-changing landscape.

Winemaking & Production

The winemaking and production track features four sessions covering industry best practices guaranteed to improve outputs and provide wine enthusiasts with an outstanding product. With tasting trials to help demonstrate the principles explained, these sessions will help winemakers overcome production challenges, such as:

• Preventing aroma-loss without tampering with the fermentation process, including data supported techniques for improving aroma retention.
• Producing “clean” white and rosé wines without the use of chemical additives to engage an increasingly organic-minded consumer.
• Exploring accentuated cut edges and how they provide a simple, effective, and economical approach to refining texture and integrating aromas.
• Understanding the effects of individual barrel performances on a chemical level and what those potential differences mean for wine quality.
  
  
  
  

Sales & Marketing

No matter if a winery produces the most incredible wine ever bottled, they still need to keep up with modern sales and marketing practices to get their bottles in front of consumers. This track features four workshop sessions covering everything a wine marketer needs to know to keep building their brand and establish a strong presence not only online and in stores, but at the winery and on the dinner table. These classes will go through the following topics:

• Building an omnichannel marketing strategy to create a seamless customer experience from first impressions to completing the sale and beyond.
• Creating engaging digital-first marketing plans to capture the attention of up-and-coming wine enthusiasts who have an affinity for strong brand experiences.
• Maximizing wine club benefits to encourage new customer acquisition while retaining loyal customers.
• Maintaining a quality ecommerce website to keep up with direct-to-consumer demand and expand reach in this new age of wine consumption.
  
  
  

Business Strategy & Leadership

Despite its romantic reputation, the wine business is just that—a business. This track will cover industry trends and consumer insights, as well as give practical applications for wine industry leaders to develop their strategies for continued success. The four sessions will cover:

• Planning for 2022 and beyond, using North Coast wine industry trends and forecasts as guidance, presented by industry veterans and category experts.
• Exploring growth opportunities in the bulk wine industry, as supported by changing consumer attitudes and accelerated by the pandemic.
• Increasing sustainability and reducing carbon footprints, while still maintaining the integrity of the business and the quality of the wine produced.
• Discussing trends in mergers and acquisitions in the wine industry and what they mean for the future of the sector.
  
  
  

Vineyard & Growers

Great wine starts with great growing and harvesting practices. This workshop track, composed of three sessions, will help viticulturists of all levels improve their techniques by focusing on:

• Managing vineyards in increasingly frequent drought conditions.
• Using artificial intelligence (AI) to manage vineyard operations, including how to evaluate potential new tools, best practices for implementing them in the field, and how to create a team culture willing to experiment.
• Learning what regenerative agriculture practice means in terms of grape growing, its benefits over other sustainable measures, and best practices for transitioning a vineyard.

 WIN Expo will be held on Thursday, December 2, 2021, from 9:00am — 4:00pm at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California.

For the full list of conference topics and speakers, visit: wineindustryexpo.com/conference.