WR Event Recap for Vintners

Wine Road event recap

Winter WINEland

Martin Luther King Jr. birthday weekend (2 or 3 weekend in January)

11:00-4:00

2016 will be the 24^th Annual

6000 tickets

$45 weekend, $30 Sunday, $10 Designated Driver ($60, $40, $20 at the door)

Winery Participation:

2015 – 137

2014 – 139

2013 – 136

2 paid security to stroll Healdsburg Plaza both days (Titan Security) 1:00-6:00pm

2 highway patrol to cruise the valleys both days, from noon-5:00pm

Security and CHP expense is typically $3500

Barrel Tasting (annual event)

1^st two weekends in March (Fri, Sat, Sun – each weekend)

11:00-4:00

2016 will be the 38^th Annual

7500 per weekend

$40 per wknd, $5 for D. Drivers ($60 weekend, $40 Sunday, $10 Driver at the door

Winery Participation:

2015 – 131

2014 – 129

2013 – 123

2 paid security to stroll Healdsburg Plaza both days (Titan Security)

2 highway patrol to cruise the valleys Sat & Sun, both weekends from noon-5:00pm

Security and CHP expense is typically $7000

Explore Along the Wine Road (Wine Tourism Day – annual event)

2^nd Saturday in May – normal winery hours (vary by winery)

2016 will be our 3^rd Annual

$30 for the day – we sold 150 tickets – goal of selling 500

60 wineries participated in both 2014 & 2015

Wine & Food Affair (annual event)

1^st full weekend in November

11:00-4:00 both days

2015 will be the 17^th Annual

5500 tickets

$75 weekend, $50 Sunday Only $35 D. Driver

Winery Participation:

2014 – 112

2013 – 103

2012 – 101

2 paid security to stroll Healdsburg Plaza both days (Titan Security) 1:00-6:00pm

2 highway patrol to cruise the valleys both days, from noon-5:00pm

Security and CHP expense is typically $3500

Wine Road has provided Responsible Hospitality Training at no charge to our members for 14 years. We coordinate the training twice a year, we typically have 90-110 attendees at EVERY training. To date we have provided training to 2200 +/- winery owners and their staff. For new winery members it is a requirement they attend the training prior to participating in any Wine Road sponsored event.

Cost $30,000+ over the past 14 years for this training

Wine Road created an “Event Planning Tips” video, which we shared at our Pre-Event Meeting for Barrel Tasting. It was then shared with all of our members via our member email list.

Cost $3000, John Beck was the videographer

Wine Road has created two different “Tasting Tips” videos for consumers, both are shared via our website, YouTube and other social media sites. This video was customized, copied and distributed to various local transportation companies who wanted to share it with their guests prior to driving them on a tour.

Cost $3000 each, John Beck was the videographer

Cost to duplicate and distribute to Pure Luxury, CA Wine Tours, Beau Limousine $800

Wine Road has designed and distributed multiple large signs for use during events – see attached: No Beer, Tasting Ends at Discretion of Management, No One Under the Age of 21, No Wine Past This Point

Cost to print and design, over the past 5 years: $6000

We have made a conscious effort to BAN full-size buses at Barrel Tasting.

When ordering tickets a guest is REQUIRED to sign a waiver stating they understand full-size (24 passenger or larger) buses are NOT allowed.

This is printed on their ticket once they complete their purchase. We send email reminders prior to each event reminding them, no buses, intoxicated tasters will not be served, bring your current photo ID etc.

Our ticketing page is set to limit the number of tickets purchased to 7 per order, thus reminding customers; many wineries BAN groups of 8 or more.

We have produced multiple blog posts covering the topic of responsible tasting, and correct event behavior along with a never-ending series of tips on our various social media platforms.

At the high point of Barrel Tasting, we sold 30,000 tickets over two weekends in 2007.

We have continued to raise the price, limit buses, hire security, train staff and educate attendees – thus dropping ticket sales to approx. 15,000 for the two weekends. A very manageable number overall considering the geographical area we are covering, this is not one valley, but a 30 mile radius; Alexander, Dry Creek, Russian River valleys, the towns of Santa Rosa, Windsor, Geyserville and Healdsburg.

Posted by Beth Costa

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