WineVision Gains Momentum for 2002

WineVision Gains Momentum for 2002

Record Attendance Expected at Jan. 30 WineVision Forum

WineVision: American Wine in the 21st Century continues to move forward and to gather momentum in the year 2002 in furtherance of its key goals of aiding the U.S. wine community in its quests to enhance sustainable farming practices, become more competitive in global marketplaces and a more integral part of the domestic cultural fabric.

In just 2 weeks, more than 40 key industry representatives and wine trade organizations are meeting at a special luncheon gathering of the WineVision Forum on Wednesday, January 30 during the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.

As you all know, the WineVision Forum was created in response to the frequent call for the wine community to present itself publicly with a unified voice. The Forum consists of leaders of state and regional wine organizations from throughout the U.S., who review and advise the WineVision effort on current needs and priorities.

Specifically, the agenda for this year's Forum includes:

Updates on strategic plan priorities for discussion by state and regional wine organizations. Participants will address and agree on unified expressions of the plan's "messagaes"; to disseminate the messages through their association membership; and, feed matters of interest and concern back to WineVision leaders.

A review of issues, concerns and challenges to the wine industry at county, state, national and international levels will be discussed, as will possible solutions and joint actions. WV

Web Site Re-Launching

Also at the upcoming January 30th Forum, WineVision's newly revamped Web site will be unveiled and officially launched.

Winevision.org, developed by a sub-committee with technical work done by Napa's Freerun Technologies, is to be a central part of the communication and outreach programs initiated by the three task forces organized around WineVision's key objectives. The revamping of the WineVision.org Website into a comprehensive communications tool gives WineVision task forces the capacity to share progress and information resources online.

The site features include:

A fully interactive bulletin board that allows messages to be posted and discussions to be conducted online by each of the task forces and WineVision's organizing committees

the wine industry's most extensive calendar of events

a complete history of the WineVision strategic planning process, with organizational chart and goals, objectives and strategies adopted to date

Access to current/past newsletters

an inventory and online database of easily accessible data and information

listings of sponsors, founding members and financial supporters of WineVision

membership information and sign-up forms. WV

UPDATE YOUR CALENDAR FOR 2002

WineVision's progress also will be updated and reviewed at this year's Central Coast Insights program put on by Wine Industry Financial Symposium Group, on March 20, 2002 in San Luis Obispo.

The annual meeting of WineVision will by held July 10-11, 2002 at the Napa Valley Marriott. Keynote speakers are being lined up to assess the U.S. wine industry's position in world markets and domestic culture and to provide strategic commentary on how to make the industry more competitive. Please let us know if you have speaker suggestions.

WineVision American Wine in the 21st Century

Membership dues have been coming in at a steady pace and we are greatly encouraged by the show of financial support despite the distractions and disruptions of both the events of Sept. 11 and the recessionary economy.

If you haven't contributed your dues yet, please consider getting them to us before the Jan. 30 meeting so we can make an accurate assessment of continued industry support to the steering committee and to participants in the Forum.

WineVision's Communications Task Force is making extensive efforts to extend the WineVision message to broader audiences through media relations and trade presentations. Presentations are planned, for example, at some of the major international wine trade shows (e.g., Vinexpo, VinItaly) as well as similar shows in the states (e.g., San Francisco's World Wine Market 2002 and the Boston Wine Expo) so journalists and opinion leaders become aware of WineVision and the goals of the American wine community.

Our next issue, in mid-February, will feature the efforts of the Sustainability and Globalization task forces.

Many more challenges and accomplishments lay ahead of us. To participate in this venture, please visit our web site: http://www.winevision.org WineVision Steering Committee: Bill Turrentine, Turrentine Wine Brokerage Paul Dolan, Fetzer Vineyards Jerry Lohr, J. Lohr Winery David Freed, UCC Vineyards