Wine Road Board Meeting – April 2022

Wine Road Board Meeting
April 27, 2022 | 9:00am
Hook & Ladder and Virtual

In Attendance
☒ Beth Costa (Wine Road)
☒ John Viszlay (Viszlay Vineyards)
☒ Devin Ruddick. (Hook & Ladder Winery)
☒ Lillian Fechter. (Francis Ford Coppola Winery)
☒ Dan Christensen. (Geyserville Inn)
☒ Julia Lander. (Moshin Vineyards)
☒ Oded.Shakked. (Longboard Vineyards)
☐ Jack Seifrick. (Cast Wines).
☒ Katie Ambrosi. (Wilson Artisan Wines)
☒ Aaron Krug (Best Westen Dry Creek Inn)
☒ Harry Wetzel (Alexander Valley Vineyards)
☒ Lucas Meeker (The Meeker Vineyard)
☒ Helen Sharrocks (Balletto Vineyards & Winery)
☒ Brooke Ross
☒ Teri
☒ Kerry -­‐‑ Orsi

Approval of Minutes

John called meeting to order at 9:20am

Devin made a motion to approve March minutes at 9:21am. Harry Seconded
All those who were onsite had the minutes. All in favor. No one opposed.

Treasurers Report
Checking: $117,071.22
• Sales tax paid – approx. $7000
Savings: $150,110.15

Gateway to Wine Road
Challenging event and no ROI. Timing may have been part of the issue.
Dry Creek had approached Wine Road asking to host an event.
John posed a question : Next year: Passport weekend – does Wine Road host an event? Determined no.

Wine Road Insider
On website, but no announcement has been made. Would like to get additional content before announcingBrand Ambassadors
In-­‐‑house versus consumers. Winery employees that want to be brand ambassadors, share, hashtag. Go to
each other events, experiences, tasting. “Insider point of view”
Organic experience
Lifestyle experience

Choose your own adventure
Pops up first two times, then not for another month
Flip book – inspiring guide of places to visit.
Launched approx. 2 weeks ago

Healdsburg Wine & Food Festival
Wineries can do a table or tent. Beth reached out to ask if we could do a Wine Road tent. Is there a limit of
how many wineries per tent? Were fine with multiple wineries pouring in one tent.
$2,500 cost.
Orsi, Coppola, etc are participating – dinners, truck tours, tasting
Banner with the dates, events, advertising wine road.
QR Code that links to all the dates
Take wine that is a cross section of wine that was previously donated to Wine Road.
Tables are only 6ft and minimal space. Can’t have any pop up/stand ups/banners
Tents -­‐‑ provides additional flexibility – we need clarification of what we can do in the tent.

Barrel auction was discussed again, regarding press visits.
Great opportunity to collect data
Potential ideas:
• pre-­‐‑sale tickets for event or collect data to eventually pre-­‐‑sell tickets
• Promo code for conversion to ticket sales
Demographic is exactly what we want to for our events
Same group as launching Aspen – this is an event we would want to participate in.
Focus on Wine & Food Affair as event – not necessarily WWL or Barrel
Sticker or symbol next to name, for recognition
Ask for $1,000 tent. If not possible, we’ll proceed with $2,500
Devin motions to approve $2,500 max budget for tent. Danny seconded. All in favor. No opposition.
Brooke will get current number of ticket sales for grand tasting.

Board Elections
Katie and Lillian interested in being president
Devin is willing to stay in that position.
Lillian is nominated to president.
Lillian is voted in. All in favor.

Devin is suggested as Vice President. All in favor.
Katie is voted as treasurer. All in favor.
Helen is nominated as secretary. All in favor.
Dan is the Exec Lodging Rep.

Executive Board Retreat
Balletto from 9a-­‐‑12p, followed by lunch. June 8th.
We need to discuss hybrid event.
We need to evaluate pricing, crowd size, offers.
Do we want to reduce crowds? It’s solved some challenges, but it lost energy for the events
What are the topics that need to be covered?
• What are the main objectives are the Wine Road?
• Events – they may be scaled down. What does that mean?
Where should money be going and where is focus?

• Press – Good Morning Phoenix will be here on Friday
• Mysty – need to review PR efforts. Evaluate use of firm.
Current money is to keep going, but not enough to do new ventures.
Bring back personal contact lists for each board member? How would we blitz and keep accountable?
Reviewed need for a moderator or if the money could be more effectively used elsewhere. Beth would like to
continue with moderator.
Meeting Adjourned

Beth will follow up regarding Healdsburg Wine & Food. Need staff to participate.
Members had to depart early.
Motion to adjourn by Harry by 10:41am.
Lucas seconded. Meeting adjourned.