The Wine Bloggers Conference is headed back to California for the first time since 2009. We’ve been all across North America exploring various wine regions, and the time has come to spend some quality time with the wines of the Central Coast region.
We have two exciting excursion options now available for WBC14 attendees, and we hope you consider joining one — or both!
More details on each excursion will be forthcoming, but registration for both excursions is now open. You can register for the excursions when you register for the conference. If you are already registered for the conference, please fill out this separate excursion registration form. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. There is an additional charge for each option. Details below.
Pre-Conference:: Paso Robles Wine Country Excursion
The Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance pre-conference excursion begins with a winery-hosted tasting and lunch en-route to Paso Robles from San Jose airport.
Guests will then be immersed for the next 24 hours in all things Paso Robles AVA. This includes focused tasting seminars, a small-brand walk-around tasting and barbecue, marquee vineyard visits with tastings and farewell luncheon with presentation.
We estimate you will taste up to 150 wines from up to 50 brands and leave with a new-found knowledge of the Paso Robles terroir, its wines, and its people. All this in 24 hours? Absolutely! Come Grow Wild in Paso Robles Wine Country.
Cost of this excursion is $100 for Citizen Bloggers who agree to post at least one blog post about their experience on the excursion. The excursion cost is $200 otherwise and for non-Citizen Blogger attendees. The cost includes all of the above as well as transportation from SJC to the conference and overnight accommodations in the Paso Robles area.
This excursion will depart by bus from the San Jose International Airport (SJC) at approximately 12:30 PM (time subject to slight change but it won’t be earlier than this) on Wednesday, July 9th, 2014. If you live or will be in the area and wish to meet in Paso Robles, you can do that and then either drive from Paso to the conference the next day or join us on the bus. Attendees are responsible for making it to the departure spot on time and are responsible for making their own arrangements home after the conference. If you’re flying into SJC, we recommend booking an “open-jaw” ticket and departing from a Southern California airport. Check out the Details page for more information on transportation options to and from the conference.
Post-Conference:: Explore Bridlewood Estate Winery — Lunch
Following what is sure to be an outstanding Wine Bloggers Conference, Bridlewood Estate Winery invites you to gather with new friends and reconnect with those met long ago before we bid farewell to WBC14. This off-site excursion will take place at the iconic Bridlewood Estate Winery, nestled in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley.
Bridlewood’s range of critically acclaimed Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines tell the colorful story of the Central Coast: the 
adventurous spirit, the relaxed lifestyle, the fresh, local foods and the incredible vineyards.
As part of the excursion, attendees will enjoy a Santa Barbara-style lunch provided by local caterers New West accompanied by Bridlewood wines by the idyllic estate pond. Then, all participants will have the opportunity to partake in an engaging and interactive educational session that is sure to spark conversation.
Cost of the excursion is $15 per person and will include lunch and round-trip transportation to Bridlewood Estate Winery from the conference hotel. The buses will depart for Bridlewood at 12:00 PM and return participants to the hotel by 3:30pm.
Each excursion is limited in the number of participants, so register for WBC and your excursions soon! You can register for the conference and excursions on our Registration page. If you have already registered for the conference and want to add either excursion, please fill out this separate excursion registration form.
Very good to know! I’m looking forward to it!
The excursion hosts will be contacting all of you registered for the excursion with complete details a few weeks before the event.
I will be driving into Paso Robles anyway and then going back to Santa Barbara. I will need to get information on a meeting point, and I’m guessing that will be coming along later!
Joe & Janelle,
You’ll miss some fun on the bus from SJC, but you can join the group in Paso Robles!
What if we will be in Paso Robles? How can we join pre-conference?
Joe and Janelle