Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/52520
ABOUT has traditionally been difficult to achieve because of its high standards of excellence. "The Grand Harvest Awards are a great forum for producers to have their wines evaluated by experienced judges in the context of their respective growing regions," said Chief Judge Bill Traverso. "Wines from up-and-coming regions such as Nebraska and Florida garnered gold medals." Details: vwm-online.com/gha Professional Development Conferences & Trade Shows V&WM events are designed to deliver all the aspects you need to keep you in touch and profitable in today's competitive wine marketplace. It's never too late to learn a new tip or tactic or enhance your skill set to make your business more lucrative. That's why we've created our Professional Development Series of seminars and conferences designed specifically for members of the wine industry. 36th Annual Wineries Unlimited Conference & Trade Show "The Buyer's Trade Show in the East" March 27-29, 2012, Richmond, VA "Eastern in scope, diverse in flavor" is not only the theme of this year's event; it embraces the entire concept of what the eastern wine market brings to the table. Join us for the largest wine industry trade show and conference east of the Rockies! For 36 years, Wineries Unlimited has grown into the industry's foremost event of its kind with upwards of 2,300 winery and vineyard personnel in attendance each year. The three-day conference includes critical content in multiple session tracks on enology, viticulture, and marketing issues moderated by key wine industry experts. 2011 special guests included Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Virginia Secretary of Forestry and Agriculture, Todd Haymore, Virginia native Andy Beckstoffer, and Keynote speaker Jim Trezise, President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. Because of the large geographic spread of the eastern wine industry, exhibitors tell us they do a large part of their business at this show as a result of the face-to-face contact made there. Suppliers have a chance to greet and sell to winery owners, operators and grape growers from over 33 states and Canadian provinces (and counting!). Full details at wineriesunlimited.com. Midwest Grape & Wine Conference and Trade Show February 9-12, 2012, St. Charles, MO Now in its 26th year, the Midwest Grape & Wine Conference has partnered with VWM Group to provide over 60 years of combined experience with wine industry conferences and trade shows. This year we are uniting 17 states in the heartland of America under one roof. The 2011 conference moved to the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri, only 10 minutes from the Lambert International Airport. Join us for four full days of viticulture, enology and marketing sessions and an extraordinary trade show. Full details at midwestgrape.com CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW NEW! Winery DIY...giving you the tools to get the work done. One-Day Seminar & Exclusive Supplier Showcase May 9, 2012, Napa, CA Anyone who frequents the home improvement store or watches TV home make-over shows understands the do-it-yourself (DIY) concept quite well. We've taken this concept one step further by empowering you with the DIY tools, skills, and know-how to improve your winery's tasting room. Don't rely on outside services to change your merchandising, increase sales staff training, or revamp your wine club. In this seminar you'll receive expert commentary and materials by qualified guest speakers. You'll leave armed and ready with the right tools to get the job done and the satisfaction that you've done it yourself! This one day immersion course in sales and marketing will be hosted in the heart of the Napa Valley by Elizabeth "E" Slater, marketing expert and owner of In Short Direct Marketing and partner in the Wine Industry Network. The exclusive supplier showcase will be sized to feature a limited number of high level exhibitors whose products and services relate directly to the target audience attending this seminar. Full details at vwm-online.com/diy. Visit vwm-online.com to sign up for our mailing list or call 707.577.7700 today for more details. www.vwm-online.com The 2012 Vineyard & Winery Management Winedex® A-7 ABOUT