As I write this, we are exactly three weeks away from the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla. Believe it or not, that means it is time for wine bloggers to help us select the 2011 conference location by voting on three possible sites. We will announce the 2011 conference location on Sunday, June 27th at the conference wrapup.
We take into account three separate factors when determining the Wine Bloggers Conference location each year. First, the location itself has to be excellent – good host hotel, nice town, strong wine area, reasonable transport options, and a motivated local wine community. A potential location has to have all of this to even be considered. Second, we are trying to provide a little geographic diversity in the conference location. In 2008 and 2009 we held the conference in Sonoma County and there is still a strong pull to return to Northern California. We try to balance this with our desire to spread the conference to other locations around North America. Third, the desires of wine bloggers are a key factor in choosing a location, since the Wine Bloggers Conference is all about pleasing you, our wine bloggers!
Therefore, please take two minutes to express your opinion on the 2011 WBC location. Voting closes June 10th. Thank you!
Come on up to the Finger Lakes..! Can't wait to see you all here!
Wow – Fantastic logo! Nice job. I go with Finger Lakes – it is still up and coming and the lodging and views that can be had by car are virtually untouched by corporate styles and progressive uniformity. The Seneca Harbor Hotel is the best thing to happen to Watkins Glen since upgrades at the track – WGI. It is only going to get better and more desired here – check it out while still raw.
Yeah – and I'm not saying West isn't awesome, I'm just saying it's time to spice it up a bit more. I'm 100% sure that areas on the west like OR and PR will be options in the future.
The Finger Lakes Wine Country of upstate New York is SPECTACULAR!!! Unlike anywhere else–the scenery is amazing; waterfalls, lakes, over 100 wineries, great wine and the greatest group of people devoted to making the best wine anywhere. We have lovely hotels as well. The Finger Lakes are ready and waiting!
If you are going for the wine I would suggest Paso Robles and that portion of the Central Coast. A broad selection of very good wine. Lot's of wineries and vineyards. Very nice cities with good restaurants. The ocean is just the other side of the hill.
I think the Willamette Valley AVA or Southern Oregon AVA should be the next host to the wine blogger conference. Oregon seems like a no brainer- I agree with the post below me.
How is Oregon not an option??!
Paso Robles, California is a relatively unknown wine region, but it produces world class wines. It has more than 200 wineries in its appellation. The fruit grown in Paso Robles is exceptional, benefitting from the greatest diurnal temperature differences in the State. There is a great variety of wonderful local restaurants, as well. The community is warm and welcoming. Paso Robles is a unique blend of town and country with immense amounts of both charm and sophistication.
Obviously Paso Robles, CA! Small enough to be easy and charming, diverse enough to offer a lot of great wine, it is also easy to get to (1/2 way between LA and SF). It also has a ton of restaurants, hotels, B&Bs and natural beauty. The downtown square offers a central hub for activities. Yeah it is hot during the day, but the evenings are lovely.
Finger Lakes!!! New York's Finest!!!
Finger Lakes Wine Country…a great place to live, to visit, and to host a blog conference!
FINGER LAKES, NY! – Amazing Wine, Great Food, Breath taking Vistas and a great community of people that support each other. What's not to love? You've got my vote.
There are many great restaurants in the finger lakes area. In a five mile stretch on the East Side of Seneca Lake there are 3 restaurants that have received the James Beard Award of Excellence.
Ithaca College will open its brand-new Athletic & Event Center in Summer 2011–a perfect spot for a blog conference!
We think it is time for WBC to come east. Go #voteFLX! We are affordable, accessible, and making some really exciting wines. http://www.FingerLakesWineCountry.com
I have to agree with 1WineDude. Paso Robles seems nice, but are we seriously going to go back to California again? Isn't time we branched out a bit and tried something on the East Coast? I think that would be a real eye-opener for a lot of bloggers who are still thinking that wines from the West are always better than wine from the East. It's time to be big boys (and girls) and get out of our comfort zone and try something new.
I am admittedly a little biased, but my vote is for the Finger Lakes. Over a hundred wineries – Amazing scenery – Great atmosphere – Friendly people – Really good wine!
Here's another thought – GO EAST! š
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Paso Robles California has fantastic wine, restaurants and hotels in the downtown area as well others conveniently located off of the main highways. Ortman Family Wines would love to see the Wine Bloggers Conference here. We are located in the heart of downtown Paso Robles along with 19 other wineries.
Paso Robles! Great wine and great food!
Paso would be a great place to be, with terrific support from Paso Vintners and groups like SIP (Sustainability In Practice, see sipthegoodlife.org) and both pre and post confab opportunities. There's a big wine world out there, and Paso is worth getting to know better.
#WBC11 in SLO County should be a easy fit. Hit up the SLOCVCB for ridiculous rates on rooms. @donatifamily would be down for hosting some bloggers!
Here's an thought! Though I've not visited before, I did a little research. For Paso Robles, why not look into having a host hotel in nearby San Luis Obispo for instance? It's only about 1/2 hour away and in the same county. They have a regional airport that's easy to access via some of the airlines (for those who are out of state).
wow, when I first read that the WBC 2011 voting was to begin, the first location I thought of was Paso — I voted for Paso Robles!! great town, great people… great wine!
I am all about Paso Robles! It's somewhere I've always wanted to visit–lots of great wineries and tasting rooms in the area and it's proximity to other great places like “Sideways” country, Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean makes it a beautiful and logical place to visit. Plus I would love to see producers in the area getting involved with this event. I voted “YES” to Paso Robles!
The Central Coast — Paso, Santa Barbara, etc — gets my vote, not only for the wines but also because they are doing a great job with their sustainability initiatives.
Been to the Finger Lakes a few times. It really is a beautiful place with some great wine (esp. Riesling and Cabernet Franc). One thing I couldn't find was an abundance of good restaurants (though that may have changed by now). I did like the restaurant at Red Newt winery.
How about Baltimore? You would be close to a famous wine blogger who lives in Monkton, MD. So he wouldn't have far to travel:)
Paso Robles seems like a no-brainer. There's top-notch wineries everywhere, and they're all supportive of each other and the community is diverse, beautiful, there's the Wine Wrangler vans for tours, great hotels, and the community is VERY motivated to continue it's success and support of both the wineries and the community as a whole. Check out Paso Robles; Like I said, it's a no-brainer. People fall in love here all the time š
If you have not been to the Finger Lakes Wine Country, you are in for a beautiful treat. Central New York Finger Lakes Country offers beautiful country side of rolling hills scenery, multiple world-class wineries and wines, which continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We also have many historic sites, great museums, many sites and features with great accomodations in a relaxed atmosphere.