NAPA, CALIFORNIA | DECEMBER 6, 2017: The Napa | Sonoma chapter of Women for WineSense’s (WWS) Winemakers’ & Viticultural Roundtable will hold its Harvest Wrap Up & Holiday Bottle Exchange on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 pm at St. Helena’s renowned Raymond Vineyards located at 849 Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena, CA, 94574.
The free roundtable meeting is open to WWS Winemaking and Viticulture Roundtable members and interested women winemakers and viticulturists that have emailed and received RSVP guest confirmations through the Roundtable Chair. Please, no walk-ins.
The event is hosted by new WWS Board member, Lisa Brown, Brand Manager California & Import Portfolios, with special thanks to Jean-Charles Boisset, Proprietor of Boisset Collection, Stephanie Putnam, Director of Winemaking (hosting from the road on a market visit) and the Raymond winemaking team.
Five generations of the Raymond family created a Napa icon. Founded in 1970, Raymond Vineyards now comprises 300 acres in Rutherford, St. Helena and Jamieson Canyon. Today, the vision of Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset, Raymond inspires guests’ passion for fine wine in an environment of exploration, creativity, and elegant whimsicality. Stephanie Putnam’s winemaking focuses on artful expressions from Raymond’s Rutherford and St. Helena estate vineyards which are certified organic and biodynamic, in the winery 100% powered by renewable solar energy.
ABOUT THE EVENT: Early arrivals will meet at 3:00 p.m. in the newest estate venue, “Le Cabaret,” to enjoy networking and share harvest stories while sampling outstanding Estate wines. Ms. Brown noted “it’s a great time to reconnect with winemaker and viticulture colleagues and celebrate the holidays exchanging treasured wines made by our talented members.”
The roundtable meeting will open at 3:30 p.m. with a behind-the-scenes winemaker tour, followed by more wine tasting, group discussion and gift exchange of special bottles from each of the attendees’ collections. Attendees are encouraged to bring a bottle of their wine as thanks to the Roundtable hosts and another to share in the third annual holiday bottle exchange. Carpools from Napa and Sonoma are available.
The roundtable “wrap up” commemorates the special group’s talents and members’ invaluable camaraderie, created throughout the past year focused on advanced career skills. As noted by roundtable chair Julie Hagler Lumgair, “Our past meeting topics have focused upon the C-suite professional skills women winemakers and viticultural professionals need but aren’t always easy to get in their daily work environment.”
She further explained that, “Held at some of Napa and Sonoma’s finest host wineries, these programs have been a fantastic opportunity for women winemakers and viticulturists to connect directly, in a friendly professional forum, with experts that they otherwise wouldn’t get to meet for personal advice and questions. Some of our recent speakers have included leading wine publication critics and senior editors, global sensory consultants, sommeliers, media trainers, CFO’s and GM’s in panel discussions and key recruiters.”
ABOUT THE WINEMAKING & VITICULTURAL ROUNDTABLE | RSVP DETAILS: This Roundtable meets approximately five to six times a year, taking a harvest break. Professionally qualified winemaker and viticulture guests may attend up to two Roundtables before deciding to join.
Please, all attendees must be pre-approved; no walk-ins. To RSVP, or for any questions on this event or future WWS Winemaking Roundtable events, please contact Ms. Lumgair at Julie@Lumgair.com.
ABOUT ADDITIONAL WWS ROUNDTABLES: WWS’ eight current professional roundtables serve to provide a welcoming and confidential environment to meet in small peer groups on a bi-monthly or quarterly basis. Members network, provide advice and support for one another, as well as foster educational occasions by inviting guest speakers in their fields and discussing ‘hot issues’ facing members in their day-to-day work. Multiple Roundtables have developed for WWS industry members in finance, accounting, human resources, winemaking/viticulture and marketing/direct-to-consumer fields.
The Napa/Sonoma Chapter currently has more than 350 members of which 70% are wine industry professionals. To join or learn more about WWS’ roundtables, please visit www.womenforwinesense.org. For inquiries about other WWS roundtables for additional functions besides winemaking and viticulture, contact the Napa| Sonoma Chapter’s Roundtables Director, Lisa Bishop Forbes, lbishopforbes@gmail.com.
ABOUT WOMEN FOR WINESENSE: WWS is a not-for-profit organization 501(c)6. The Napa| Sonoma Chapter founded in 1990 is the founding chapter of this national organization which provides outstanding educational and networking opportunities to both wine industry professionals and wine enthusiasts by presenting educational, insightful and stimulating events in a welcoming, fun environment. Both men and women of legal drinking age are welcome to join. There is an exciting line-up of events planned for 2018. To join or learn more, please visit www.womenforwinesense.org.
