The 9th Annual Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference kicked off today in Eugene, Oregon. The conference runs from March 3-5, 2020, and has over 100 wine industry leaders in attendance. The afternoon started with what we hope you expect at a wine conference, wine! We have had outstanding support from the local Eugene community, and our attendees got to see it tonight.
The Opening Reception
At 4:30 pm sharp, we started our opening reception. We were joined by Brooks Winery, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, Okanagan Falls Winery Association, Ramona Valley Vineyard Association, Travel Lane County, Troon Vineyard, VinoPro, Willamette Valley Wineries Association and Wolf Spirit Distillery, just some of our fabulous sponsors. You can view our full sponsor list here. During the Opening Reception, we greeted old friends and welcomed new opens while enjoying some delicious local offerings. This was just the start of a great night. Next, we were off to Sweet Cheeks Winery for tours, tastings and a delicious wine pairing dinner.
Dinner at Sweet Cheeks Winery
This sold-out event was hosted by Sweet Cheeks Winery, a local winery founded in 1978, home to some of the oldest vines in the valley. Attendees were treated to a family-style dinner in the fully enclosed patio with unparalleled and panoramic views of the vines. Winemaker, Leo Gabica, and local chefs guided guests through a three-course meal paired perfectly with Sweet Cheeks wines. Attendees were also treated to the incredible and very unique story for the history of the winery.
What a fantastic and fun way to start out an industry conference. We enjoyed our day immensely and we look forward to some incredible content and interesting discussions about the future of wine tourism and marketing strategy tomorrow.
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