| Wednesday, March 12, 2025 | |
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| 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm Location: Mission Square | Bottle Bash Central Coast |
| Join WineBusiness Monthly for the Central Coast edition of Bottle Bash—a night of networking, collaboration and celebration. WineBusiness Monthly is bringing Bottle Bash, the party that kicks off each year’s Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, to Paso Robles as part of the Central Coast Insights and WiVi Central Coast events. Hundreds of local winemakers, growers, speakers and sponsors will gather following the Central Coast Insights conference. | |
| Thursday, March 13, 2025 | |
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| 8:30 am - 10:00 am Location: Ponderosa | General Session: Generations on Tap: Understanding Wine Buying from Boomers to Gen Z |
| Wine buying habits and viewpoints vary greatly from Boomers to Gen Z. With younger consumers gravitating towards alternative beverages, the moderation trend and preference for lower alcohol offerings, it is imperative that wine marketers and producers understand the changing buying preferences of today’s wine consumers and maximize growth opportunities. Speakers: Jon Berg, VP of Thought Leadership, NIQ Beverage Alcohol Vertical Karen Daenen, Director of Research & Consumer Insights, Jackson Family Wines Erica Duecy, Founder and Podcast Host, Drinks Business Kaleigh Theriault, Director of Thought Leadership, NIQ Beverage Alcohol Vertical |
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| 10:15 am - 11:15 am Location: Ponderosa | Wine and Viticulture Session: 2024 Harvest Review of Viticulture and Enology |
| How do today’s winemaking leaders cope with the twists and turns delivered by mother nature? Let’s recap the 2024 vintage from viticulture to enology with a panel of industry experts who will lead a lively discussion about best practices in the vineyard and the cellar to maximize wine quality. Moderator: Fintan du Fresne, Founder & CEO, WineMerch Speakers: Eric Hervé, PhD, R&D Scientist, ETS Labs Anthony Bozzano, Principal & Sales Director, Bozzano & Co. |
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| 10:30 am - 11:30 am Location: Frontier | Tips to Maximize Profitability in Your Wine Club and DTC Channels |
| What strategies are wineries utilizing to maximize profitability via direct-to-consumer sales channels? Hear success stories from producers who have reduced shipping costs, utilized innovative subscription models to appeal to a new set of consumers, and explored out-of-the-box ideas to meet customers where they are. Speaker: Brooke Bunnell, Senior Director, FIJI Water, JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, Lewis Cellars & Landmark Vineyards |
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| 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm Location: Ponderosa | Winemaking & Vit Session |
| Producers highlight different trials showcasing variety and the regional diversity of the Central Coast. Hear from the winemakers and see the data at work. Speaker: Federico Casassa, PhD, Associate Professor, Cal Poly |
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| 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm Location: Frontier | DTC Revenue Beyond the Tasting Room |
| Growing DTC sales alongside a loss of traffic isn’t impossible! Find out how wineries are capturing revenue beyond the tasting room with creative, multi-pronged strategies including roadshows, in-market events, text/SMS campaigns, phone calls, and more. Moderator: Liz Mercer, WISE Academy |
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| 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Location: Ponderosa | Alternative Varietals on the Central Coast |
| Compare and contrast a selection of up to eight alternative varietals produced along the Central Coast regions including Monterey, Paso Robles, SLO Coast AVA and Santa Barbara. Moderator: Erica Duecy, Founder and Podcast Host, Drinks Business Speakers: Drew Nenow, Nenow Wines Steve Dooley, Stephen Ross Cellars Coby Parker-Garcia, El Lugar Wines Sonia Magdevski, Clementine Carter |
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