UPCOMING EVENTS
The FOURTH ANNUAL U.S. DRINKS CONFERENCE
is being held this year in New York City on OCTOBER 12 and 13. The conference is designed to provide practical information and guidance on navigating the intricacies of the American wine, spirits and beer business. The global gathering brings owners, entrepreneurs, exporters, importers, marketers, and distributors together to share case histories and lessons learned from successful brands.
A key session anchoring the conference will focus on the impact of consolidation in the distribution tier. Featured speakers on the panel include: Kevin Fennessey, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Southern Wine and Spirits; Efren Puente, Vice President of Marketing with Charmer-Sunbelt Group; Jeffrey Altschuler, CEO of Allied Beverage Group, and Bob Hendrickson, Vice President of Sales for Republic National Distributing Company. Ted Roman, SVP of William Grant & Sons will moderate the panel, which will be held on the second day of the conference. A detailed agenda, roster of speakers and registration and hotel information can be found at USDrinksConference.com.
The Center for Wine Origins has launched their WINE LOCATION SPECIALIST CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, developed by Master of Wine Sandy Block. Testing dates are as follows: OCTOBER 8 to 1O; JANUARY 7 to 9, 2O11; and MAY 6 to 8, 2O11. “The program is a comprehensive guide covering two leading wine regions – Champagne and Porto,” said Sandy Block, MW, and Vice President of Beverage Operations at Legal Sea Foods, who developed the materials in the Study Guide. “These regions represent unique locations where climate, soil, and centuries of winemaking expertise combine with strictly enforced regulations to guarantee a high standard of quality.” Registration is open to sommeliers, beverage directors and retail beverage directors located in the United States. Registrants must complete the online application in order to be considered. All test takers will be approved by the Center for Wine Origins. “As a Wine Location Specialist you will be accredited by the official associations of Champagne and Port, the CIVC and the IVDP, and certified to lead wine education seminars, tastings and dinners specific to the Champagne and Port regions,” said Sonia Smith, Director of the Center for Wine Origins. “There are a number of other benefits to taking this exam, including networking with other leaders in the beverage industry, support and education materials from the Center for Wine Origins, and the knowledge to lead comparative tastings of various styles of Champagne and Port.” The program is a collaboration between the Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) and the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto (IVDP) with financial support from the European Union and its member states of France and Portugal. For more information, contact Jade Floyd at info@wineorigins.com or visit the Programs Page at wineorigins.com.
NBWA’S SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL CONVENTION
will take place OCTOBER 3 to 6 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The annual convention is designed to provide education programs, seminars and important networking opportunities for the beer industry. NBWA will also be hosting the Product Demonstration Showcase to give attendees the opportunity to learn about new services and products from a variety of exhibitors that are pertinent to the beer business. The Distributor Member Meeting on OCTOBER 3 will feature candid conversation and insights from industry leaders. For more information or to register visit nbwa.org. To qualify for the NBWA Hyatt Regency Chicago room rate, reservations must be booked before SEPTEMBER 3.
