Each year we solicit bids from a handful of prominent wine regions to see if they would be interested to host the North American Wine Bloggers Conference the following year. One of our goals is to rotate the conference to new wine areas to give our attendees a chance to visit other regions and to give those regions a chance to highlight their attributes.
We are currently working with three excellent wine areas who have submitted bids to host the 2012 North American Wine Bloggers Conference. The next step is to gather public opinion. We ask past and current blogger attendees for their ratings in a private poll but are also eager to hear from anyone who has opinions about where we should hold the 2012 conference. This input will be factored into the location bid itself and the 2012 location will be announced live at this year’s conference in Charlottesville.
Please feel free to comment on this blog post with your opinions about why you think the 2012 North American Wine Bloggers Conference should be held in Penticton, British Columbia; Oregon; or Santa Barbara, California.
Penticton, British Columbia: Penticton is in eastern British Columbia and is the heart of the province’s wine region, with more than 120 wineries in the area. The conference would be based at the Penticton Lakeside Resort in this town of about 40,000. Local wine organizers are extremely eager to host our conference (they already have a Twitter account and Facebook page to promote it) and have the support of local and provincial groups as well as wine associations across Canada. Penticton has its own regional airport, with daily flights from Vancouver and Calgary, and the Kelowna International Airport, an hour away, has flights to Seattle.
Oregon: The conference hotel would be in Portland, with easy airport access and more facilities, but we would spend Saturday in wine country in the Willamette Valley. Oregon now has 419 wineries and 849 vineyard owners producing some of the top wines in the country. The state’s bid comes from the Oregon Wine Board with help from Travel Oregon and the Oregon Winegrowers Association. In addition, we have support from the famous International Pinot Noir Celebration, which although it will be on a different weekend is eager to work with us.
Santa Barbara County, California: This is one of the premier wine regions of Southern California, with over 100 wineries and 21,000 acres of vineyards. We would likely be based in the small town of Buellton, surrounded by wine towns including Solvang, Los Olivos, and Santa Maria. Buellton is 40 minutes from the airport in Santa Barbara and two hours from Los Angeles. We have strong support from the Santa Barbara County Vintner’s Association, local CVBs, and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
Everything in Penticton is less than an hour away. There’s amazing beaches outside the windows of the Lakeside Hotel. Scenery like you’ve never seen! Let’s bring the conference to Penticton!! Check out my video to see why… http://youtu.be/ITHVgrbURng
Oregon! I moved 2,500 miles from home to make Oregon my new home to work in the wine business! The Willamette Valley in July is beautiful. Not to mention, PDX is one of the easiest airports to get in and out of, no passports needed either.
I am speaking about Penticton, B.C. and the Okanagan. Pressed post before I re-read. Sorry.
Penticton, BC…”the place to stay forever”
There are far too many wineries making way too many diverse wines of quality and distinction. On top of that, these wines commonly win far too many international awards. Why would any person involved in the wine business want to be exposed to such things?
Trust me, no one would want to visit a desert with a lake in the middle of it, surrounded by beautiful orchards and vineyards minutes away from your hotel. Best to stay away. When you set aside the wine, food, beer, sunlight, beaches, annual international events, numerous protected areas for camping and hiking, international airports and stunning views, there is really not much going on at all.
Penticton, BC is the perfect place to host this conference. It is a burgeoning wine region, it is completely different than anywhere else and it is social media savvy! I vote for the beautiful Penticton.
Penticton, British Columbia
Penticton, British Columbia!!!
I’m for Santa Barbara!
Well, Penticton is not the biggest but it can compete with the best. I think all wine bloggers will be shocked at our quality and embracing of social media in our small industry. Come to Canada, enjoy our 90deg summer days!!!! Golf, lake and wine on the same day. Beauty, eh?
You can fly directly to Kelowna, which is about 40 minutes away from the conference centre in Penticton.
I would definitely choose Santa Barbara County. It is producing some incredible wines. It is my opinion that they are producing the best Pinot Noir in the U.S. and maybe beyond that. The variation in great Syrahs is amazing too. The variety of great wines is unbelievable.
Wow. I really don’t think I can vote on one. They would all be incredible. I guess I’d have to put Canada first, just because it’s the only one of the 3 that I haven’t seen. However, Portland/Willamette is incredible, and Santa Barbara is ridiculous. As long as there’s a major airport nearby (LAX, PDX… how far is Vancouver?), then folks will travel well. To me, that’s the biggest consideration.
I vote Penticton in the Okanagan. Great wine, beautiful location (see pic), an emerging region with lots of new stories to be told. Sponsors and key partners already in place and lots of local experience putting on conferences and wine events.
Recent description of the Okangan: It’s as if you took the Napa Valley, and dropped Lake Tahoe right in the middle of it – and the wines are some of the best in the world! Sounds like the perfect place to hold the Wine Bloggers’ Conference!
The Okanagan Valley – a great opportunity for the conference to highlight an emerging region, rather than one of the many areas that have been covered in the past so often!
This past weekend, over 2000 cyclists attended an event here in the South Okanagan – many were delighted to cycle by the hundreds of vineyards, then sampled and raved about the wine! We have the volunteers, organizers, sponsors and commitment to make this the BEST WB Conference ever!
Make it Santa Barbara County in 2012. The Pinot Noir is world class, and the Chardonnay is outstanding, along with Syrah and Rhone blends that are excellent. The weather is perfect and the landscape is restfull and beautiful. What is not to like!
OKANAGAN – True not ALL BC wine is currently available in the US but not due to any government policy, etc. it’s about availability and meeting indigenous demand – bring WBC to the Okanagan and discouver first-hand what BC wine’s all ‘a-bow-t’!
Penticton!
The industry has come so far in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, it would be great to see this conference in the new bastion of wine for North America!!!
Santa Barbara County!! Please!
Santa Barbara County! The unique transverse range allows us to grown an incredibly diverse portfolio of wines with exceptional quality. Warmer climate grapes to the eastern part of the County, cool climate grapes to the west – and mediterranean climate grapes in the middle. The 150+ wineries are smaller,mostly family-owned and winemakers are accessible and often pouring their own wines.
Plus, the scenery is gorgeous, the food is superb and the communities and people are warm and friendly.
+1 for Santa Barbara. It’s one of the most beautiful and diverse winegrowing regions in the world. The multitude of microclimates there produces world-class wines from a huge range of varietals: Bordeaux, Burgundian, Rhone, Spanish, Italian and more. You just can’t beat it.
Oliver/Osoyoos Wine Country – Just one of the areas you will visit if you vote Penticton, BC for WBC12
In all seriousness, I grew up in California wine country but moved to the Okanagan Valley of BC about 16 years ago. If you want to see an industry that is new, experimental, vibrant, spectacular and authentic I highly recommend Penticton, BC for #WBC12. The wines have a beautiful fruitiness to them that you cannot get from hotter climates and the bright acidities and abundant diversity in all local produce make it a great destination to bring foodies (which we all are at heart) and wine bloggers.
Come on up. You’re gonna love it. I loved it so much I moved here.
Penticton, British Columbia, Canada! Not only the most beautiful place
in Canada, but also home to some amazing wines and people.
SBC please. It’s the American Riviera weather is always perfect, food is farm-fresh and local wines are amazing and it is still a gem of a place to discover!
Santa Barbara has one of the most diverse wine growing regions in the world, with unique east-west running mountains, making valleys that open to the Pacific, allowing cooloing breezes that moderate our summer days, and keep the nights cool. We have cool climate vineyards closer to the coast, and warmer spots more inland. And my Hitching Post II is right in the middle in Buellton, CA, where I’ll buy you all a glass of my Hitching Post Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cab Franc/Merlot blend, or dry Rose. My hometown vote is SANTA BARBARA.
Penticton hands down – you will never want to leave!!
Penticton!!! – Aside from all the fantastic wines, wineries and vineyards, the Okanagan also has a Burgeoning Technology Industry (Known as Silicon Vineyard), it’s one of Canada’s tech hot spots.
Penticton all the way! Come and see why we are so passionate about our wine – you’ll be glad you did. Beautiful city between two amazing lakes, surrounded by mountains, vineyards and orchards – it is heavenly!
Bet you never heard of the Okanagan and Penticton till now. You should see for yourselves why we’re suddenly on the map.
You should absolutely, positively come to OREGON Wine Country for your bloggers conference!!! We are a laid-back, hospitable bunch that loves to make great cool-climate wines with style and grace. Oh yea, we also have the most sustainable mind-set of any growing region in the world. Cheers!
Beautiful view from Laughing Stock Vineyards on the Naramata Bench in the Okanagan…You simply cannot beat the culture, the people, and the fantastic wines that are coming out of the Okanagan!
Penticton, please!!!!
I vote for the Santa Barbara County location–beautiful scenery, excellent food and wines–and best of all, great people!
Because in the Sunny Okanagan we like to have fun!!! http://bit.ly/f6nZQ5 #getabackbone
Penticton is in the heart or the Okanagan, no better reason than to host wbc12
Penticton. Hands down.
Here, here, Kim! Thanks for your words.
Jessie Campbell
Tourism Marketing Manager
Penticton & Wine Country Tourism
People posting before me have said it better than I could. Vote Penticton!
A jewel of a city nestled between 2 gorgeous lakes, and rows upon rows of grapes. What could possibly be finer? Other than the Okanagan is also filled with a huge tech savvy, heavy social media using community who would happily tweet, post, blog about the entire event start to finish.
Penticton, no question! Not only is our wine industry – and the wines! 🙂 – awesome but it’s becoming the centre of the known SM universe (and maybe the unknown, too)!
VOTE PENTICTON!
Gotta go with Penticton!
Penticton would be a perfect location, tucked in between 2 lakes and with the Naramata Bench just a short drive out of town!
Vote Okanagan for WBC12. Why? Well…
1. We’re exploring the diversity of our regions and terroir *now*; it’s darn exciting.
2. Winemakers from Australia, France, and the US move here to play with our grapes.
3. We’re next door to one of Canada’s largest organic farming communities.
4. That neighbour also grows grapes.
5. We have sunshine. Plenty of it.
Need more? Just ask a friendly Okanagan-ite. We’ll be happy to share. It’s what we do.
WBC is about celebrating, exploring, and learning. Folks in the Okanagan are exploring and learning every day. As for celebrating – well, we love a good party.
Someone made mention earlier about having a world class airport….
Well, I’m not sure how much time you plan on spending in the airport, but Penticton’s little airport will have you in and out in a flash. There’s no need to get there 3 hours ahead of time! This = more Fun Time!
Plus there are direct flights from Vancouver to Penticton via Air Canada! Or fly to Kelowna – just 60 km away, and take the scenic drive, or book the airport shuttle!
As for transportation…you can get anywhere in Penticton in about 15 minutes or less. We have taxi’s, bus, wine shutttles, scooter and bike rentals too!
Vote Penticton!!!! You’re going to love it.
It has got to be Penticton we just hosted 2100 cyclists from all over the world along with Trevor Linden and Axel Merck!
We have hosted Ironman Canada Race for 28 years with 2700 participants
and see 4000 volunteers support the event. You will never find a better
community that embraces visitors and hosts events like we do! And our
wines; taking awards all over the world! The scenery, dramatic
mountains, sandy beaches, beautiful weather, three lakes in a row
surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. SPECTACULAR!
All of the areas nominated have their attributes. (Portlandia, unbeknownst to the denizens living there, is not that pretty and Santa Barbara has an unhealthy abundance of Republicans.)
I have to throw my support with the local bid.
Penticton and the Okanagan Valley.
Awesome, diverse desert country – the valley floor carpeted with agricultural endeavors where the string of stunning lakes are not. Including a burgeoning wine industry that has grown from a dozen to almost 200 wineries in the space of two decades.
Preconceptions about Canada and wine? Leave them at your departing airport gate – we’re just going to blow them away if you bring them.
Wines – as good as any region in the world on average and being grown at 50 degrees North!
World-famous niceness from Canadians at every turn.
You may need a passport to visit, we’re just that exotic.
Houseboats and waterskiing, mountain biking, beaches, wine, a ripping local food movement, some of the best rock climbing in the west… I could go on.
As one of the wine regions based out of Penticton, we would love to welcome all of the Wine Bloggers to the Similkameen Valley, named one of the world’s 5 best wine regions you’ve never heard of.
Part of the reason the
Similkameen is making such diverse and interesting wines is the complexity of
the local soils. Combine this
with the different elevations and the ideal conditions of dry heat and long
hours of sunlight and this is a perfect receipe to produce a wide range of
wines from aromatic whites to full-bodied and complex reds. In addition, the sun drenched sweet
fruit is the perfect basis for an endless array of fruit wines.