25th Annual Central Coast Insights

MARCH 12, 2019

8:00 a.m. REGISTRATION

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. WELCOME & CENTRAL COAST INSIGHTS SURVEY

Erin Kirschenmann, senior editor, Wine Business Monthly

8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. TRANSFORMING THE RETAIL SPACE INTO A CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Christian Navarro, president and principal, Wally’s Wine & Spirits

Wally’s Wine & Spirits has evolved from a traditional retail space into a true customer experience focused on luxury and prestige clients. As the local wine region for Southern California shoppers, the Central Coast has been a focus for Wally’s, which has been creating winemaker partnerships and using its innovative concept to shine a light on the wines from the area. Join Christian Navarro as he dives into the customer connection and how he harnesses that relationship to expand business, both in-store and online.

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. STATE OF THE WINE BUSINESS: WINERY CFOs PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR THE FUTURE

Lee Ann Pearce, vice president, sector manager, Food and Agribusiness Industry Advisors, Wells Fargo Bank – Moderator

Becky Barieau CPA, co-owner/CFO at Foxen Winery

Evan Stein, CFO, Thornhill Companies

Thomas Duhameau, CFO, Hahn Family Estates

Gregory Ahn, president & CEO, Folk Tale Winery

Which issues are top-of-mind for Central Coast winery CFOs? Join moderator Lee Ann Pearce as she takes a look at current economic indicators and then discusses solutions to those key issues, opportunistic approaches, strategies for growth and best practices to build brand equity with an expert panel of local winery financial minds.

10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. MORNING BREAK

10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO SELLING WINE

Erin Kirschenmann, senior editor, Wine Business Monthly

Eric Jensen, vigneron, Booker

Brice Baillie, CEO & founder, Obvious Wines

Lamar Engel, owner, The Wine Militia

As distributors consolidate and it becomes even more challenging to find placement, what are some other avenues to sell wine? Alternative methods to place wine on- and off-premise as well as directly to the consumer abound, if you know where to look. Join winery sales reps as they discuss their innovative solutions, including e-commerce, subscriptions and more.

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. UNDERSTANDING THE STATE OF CENTRAL COAST GRAPE SUPPLY –  CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND MORE

Audra Cooper, broker, Turrentine Brokerage

William Goebel, broker, Turrentine Brokerage

Paul Clifton, director of winemaking, Hahn

PJ Alviso, vice president, Central Coast winegrowing, Duckhorn

Craig Ledbetter, vice-president and partner, Vino Farms

The Central Coast grape supply is in a state of flux: Cabernet Sauvignon has been called overplanted and underpriced, but what’s happening with other grape varieties and is there more change on the horizon? How did this happen and, most importantly, how will the industry come out the other side of it? Join William Goebel and Audra Cooper of Turrentine Brokerage as they, and a panel of Central Coast growers and wineries, dive into the real issues of the Central Coast wine grape dilemma.

12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. NETWORKING LUNCH

1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. HOW DO YOU MAKE BUSINESS DECISIONS IN AN UNCERTAIN REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT?

Denise Shurtleff, general manager, Cambria Winery

Marianne Strange, principal, F.F. Strange & Associates

Kim Stemler, executive director, Monterey Vintners and Growers Association

This session will look at specific Central Coast examples of new regulatory requirements, from water monitoring to ethanol emission controls, where policies may affect business decisions. How are industry leaders working with local and state government agencies (or not) to create solutions?

2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. AFTERNOON BREAK

2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. THE WEST COAST APPROACH TO BUYING AND SELLING PROPERTY IN THE WINE INDUSTRY

Tony Correia, owner, The Correia Company

Jenny Heinzen, owner/broker, Jenny Heinzen Real Estate

How are owners evaluating expansion opportunities across the West Coast from California’s Central Coast to Oregon and Washington? What’s attracting them to or from the Central Coast? What are we likely to see in the coming year as it relates to winery and vineyard sales?

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. THOUGHT LEADERS DISCUSS THE CENTRAL COAST IN FINAL LIGHTNING ROUND

Skylar Stuck, general manager, Bonny Doon Vineyard – Moderator

Chris Shackelford, owner and chef, Trelio Restaurant

Ian Brand, winemaker, Le Petit Paysan, La Marea and I. Brand and Family

RH Drexel, writer and contributor, Loam Baby, The Wine Advocate and JebDunnuck.com

Randy Heinzen, president, Vineyard Professional Services

How do wine professionals and key influencers view the Central Coast? What impressions do wine promoters have about wineries on the Central Coast? Hear viewpoints from a variety of industry professionals and learn tips to implement into your business. From wine growing to winemaking to the ever changing sales channels, capture viewpoints from the final lighting round discussion.

4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. BOTTLE BASH CENTRAL COAST

Sponsored by – G3 Enterprises and winejobs.com

Join Wine Business Monthly for the Central Coast edition of its infamous Bottle Bash; a night of networking, collaboration and celebration. For the first time, Wine Business Monthly is bringing Bottle Bash, the party that kicks off each year’s Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, to Paso Robles as part of the Central Coast Insights and WiVi Central Coast events. Hundreds of local winemakers, growers, speakers and sponsors will gather the night of March 12, 2019 at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort, following the Central Coast Insights conference.

Bottle Bash Central Coast is an exclusive event for attendees of Central Coast Insights and WiVi Central Coast, so save the date and experience this popular event in an all-new setting.