WBC12 Content Sessions Announced

It was a long process before we finally come up with the content sessions for the 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference.

We started by discussing the overall structure of the weekend with our blogger advisory board. We then solicited content suggestions from the board and openly via the blogging public. Last week we completed a vote with all wine bloggers and past WBC participants, on 23 potential topics.

This all resulted in the following sessions to be presented at the 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference. If your preferred topic did not get selected, please understand we simply had too many great ideas and had to take those that were most popular!

These sessions are subject to change. We will next fill the panels with speakers and will provide that information soon. We hope you are looking forward to a great conference!

Blogger Discussions
This is the “blogger-to-blogger” session of the conference and is designed to be more discussion than presentation. We will have three separate sessions going on at the same time.

• How Bloggers Influence the Wine World: Do bloggers have an effect on wine sales? On winery practices? Should bloggers attempt to influence the wine world by all focusing on one topic at a time, as Eric Asimov suggested in 2011?
• Are We Wine Writers or Wine Bloggers? Join your fellow attendees to discuss the differences and similarities of the two groups, including what impact wine blogging has had on wine writing and why the EWBC is no longer called the European Wine Bloggers Conference.
• Blogging Workshop: Sit at a table with a group of bloggers, including at least one experienced one, who will view, critique, and make suggestions on your blog. If you are looking for hands-on (or eyes-on) advice for your blog, this is the time and place to get it.

Breakout Sessions
We will have three one-hour time periods with three breakouts each, which means you have to choose your favorites!

Wine Tasting Sessions

• The Art of Oregon Pinot – A Clonal Tasting: Learn about clones and how they play a role in crafting Pinot Noir. Like spices in a spice rack, each offers its own unique characteristics that contribute to the final blend. Taste three individual single-clone wines – sourced from the same vineyard, treated with the same barrel regime and made by the same winemaker.
• Off the Beaten Path Varietals: Consumers are familiar with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet and Merlot but may have yet to taste Albarino, Lugana, Sauvignon Gris, Bonarda, Nero d’Avola and other off the beaten path grape varieties.  Taste eight grape varieties, learn about their unique characteristics and explore ways of piquing the interest and expanding the palates of your readers.
• One More To Be Announced:

Wine and the Wine Industry

• Biodynamic, Organic, Natural, and Sustainable Wine: What do these terms mean, do they matter, and can you taste a difference in the wine?
• The Winery View of Bloggers: We’ll hear from several wineries who will explain whether they work with bloggers, how they cooperate, and whether bloggers have an impact on the winery’s visitation, sales, or image.
• Neuroscience of Wine Tasting: Take your winetasting to a whole new level by hearing from Tim Gesier, Master Sommelier and previously the Director of Education for the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas.  He will explain his large-scale project involving the use of behavioral and neuro sciences to teach and improve olfactory and palate memory and synethesia in relation to wine.  His cutting edge research in this area is increasing the awareness of how our minds recognize and code smells and tastes.

Wine Blogging

• Research on Wine Blogging: Hear from three professors from Canada who have done research on our favorite subject – wine blogging! The study analyzes opinions from 200 active wine bloggers on why they write, what they offer their readers, and how they interact with the wine industry.
• Monetization: Hear from a panel that will discuss various forms of monetization including advertising, building a brand to engage in consulting, writing a book or e-book, and more.
• Social Media and Your Blog: How can you best use Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, YouTube, and other social media sites in conjunction with your blog? You’ll hear concrete recommendations from experts.