My Latest in Oregon Wine Press:

Matter of Media

Writers, podcasters convene in Eugene

by L.M. Archer

Over the course of three days, Aug. 5–7, the Wine Media Conference gathered in Oregon after a 2020 pandemic postponement. From the base of Eugene’s River Valley Inn, I joined some 150 participants worldwide for in-depth discussions and camaraderie, too.

Proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test was required and federal and local mask mandates were followed.

I was there to moderate a panel discussion on Oregon sparkling wine, but as the convention carried on, I learned so much along the way. Here are my top three takeaways:

Community
There’s strength in numbers. Allan Wright, founder of Zephyr Conferences, organized the first Wine Media Conference (formerly known as the Wine Bloggers Conference) in 2008, connecting nascent bloggers with wine regions. Today, the conference includes a broader spectrum of communications professionals.

“I think it’s important to know that this conference brings together a lot of people,” says Wright. “It’s not the individuals that is the important thing … it’s that power of all of them together, in one room.”

Event sponsor Oregon Wine Board recognizes this power. “The fact that it came to Eugene and part of the Willamette Valley was really important to the Wine Board,” says Sally Murdoch, OWB director of communications. “It’s much more effective at introducing Oregon as a sense of place, than it is just to be sending a press release or talking to people over e-mails.”

London-based Amber LeBeau, author of blog SpitBucket and manager of VirtualWineEvents.com, concurs, “One of the lovely things about the wine industry is its community, and particularly the wine blogging [and] wine writing community. And so, I made it a priority to get here.” READ MORE HERE.

Find more on fine wine, food and travel by L.M. Archer here.