Wine Australia is launching a new global 24/7 virtual platform

Wine Australia is launching an (always-on) 24/7 virtual platform “Australian Wine Connect” in March which will bring the global wine community together to experience and explore Australia’s wine scene.

The interactive platform will be a go-to resource for Australian wine over the next twelve months. Featuring wineries from across 65 regions; connecting winemakers, buyers, importers, distributors, media, educators and more; and offering a diverse program of engaging events and experiences.

Australian Wine Connect will create a bold new world of opportunities for Australian wineries to promote their products across the UK, Europe, the US, Canada and Asian markets.

Wine Australia chief executive officer Andreas Clark said, “We’re proud to bring this same spirit of innovation to the way we do business and have been working hard to develop a valuable opportunity for Australian wineries to continue marketing and selling their wines overseas this year”.

“Australian Wine Connect has been designed to offer similar benefits to an international trade show, however it also enables wineries to reach and engage with multiple markets across the globe and it will be live and offering various virtual business opportunities for a full twelve months,” he said.

Clark said it will allow buyers from across the world to network and meet producers, discover new wines, link up with distributors and enable sales conversations. It will also offer ongoing live thought-leadership sessions, tasting sessions, variety and regional explorations to showcase the people, places and processes that make Australian wine unique.

Australian Wine Connect will go live on 31 March 2021 and registrations for the virtual showcase are now open to Australian wineries. Eligible wineries can apply for the Wine Export Grant to help cover the cost of participation.

The Australian wine community is renowned for its creativity in the pursuit of creating the most diverse and distinctive wines in the world.

The multi-faceted platform will host virtual events and collaboration tools to help wineries stay up to date in market and will promote Australian wine in a new and exciting way to raise awareness and increase demand amongst an international trade audience.

For further details, click here

Help Us Give Back This Holiday Season with Les Dames d’Escoffier Ontario 2020 “Festive Gift Basket” Fundraiser-Auction

Les Dames d’Escoffier Ontario 2020 “Festive Gift Basket” Fundraiser-Auction  @ 32 Auctions

We have 23 “Holiday Gift Baskets” to be auctioned off !!

Auction dates:
December 3, 2020 at 09:00 AM EST to December 12, 2020 at 05:00 PM

Auction Link https://www.32auctions.com/LesDamesON

Items have been donated by members, partners, and Women in Wine Talks participants.

Donors

http://www.tenutasanguido.com/

www.antinori.it

www.chateau-lalagune.com

https://www.warwickwine.com/

https://www.cactusclubcafe.com/

https://www.frenchporium.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/womeninwinetalks/

https://www.liz-palmer.com/

Donna Lee-Rosen

Jenny Ratcliffe Wright

Heather Zordel

Shari Mogk Edwards

Doris Miculan Bradley

Anonymous

Les Dames d’Escoffier Ontario is a not-for-profit corporation and an affiliate chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International.

We are part of a philanthropic organization of women leaders in the multifaceted fields of gastronomy, fine beverage and hospitality. Our by-invitation membership is composed of over 2,400 members in 43 chapters including: United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Mexico.  We create a supportive culture in our communities by sharing knowledge, supporting members, and providing leadership, educational opportunities and philanthropic events for the community-at-large.

 About Our Auction

All proceeds raised at our Les Dames d’Escoffier Ontario 2020 “Festive Gift Basket” Fundraiser-Auction will fund 2020/2021 educational scholarships, bursaries and assist in operations.

Thank you for your support – It’s time for Holiday shopping!

Auction Link https://www.32auctions.com/LesDamesON

#wine #winelover #fundraiser #womeninfood #fundraising #giftbaskets #Toronto #Torontoevent #onlineevent #auction #womenwhoauction #donate #nonprofit #community #giveback #philanthropy #instagood #socialgood #nonprofitorganization #luxurygiftbaskets #giftideas #holidaygift #christmasgift #onlineauction #corporategifts #givingtuesday #Torontolife

 

Women in Wine Talks with Kate Dingwall, Forbes: How Technology is Evolving and Disrupting the Wine World – Part 1


On November 26th we had the pleasure of listening to Kate Dingwall, Wine Writer, Sommelier speak on a trending topic “How Technology is Evolving and Disrupting the Wine World”.

This was another sold-out event for “Women in Wine Talks” bringing over one hundred global wine lovers, marketers, agents, sommeliers, journalists and other wine trade together.

Kate highlighted and did a deep dive into how the digital world is changing the industry, from investing to e-commerce, to virtual tastings, and speak to the downsides and upsides of technology infiltrating the wine world. Her highlights included:

  • Massive increase in online ordering
  • Change in distribution channels
  • Deployment of DTC

Kate Dingwall
Kate is a wine and spirits writer and a WSET-trained sommelier, a regular contributor at Forbes, and her work is frequently featured in various trade and lifestyle publications. Kate is also the former editor of FLARE Magazine.
Outside of writing, she completed her Masters of Brand Management with a focus on the “fine wine industry” and has acted as a marketing consultant for a number of spirits and hospitality brands in New York.

We will be posting the Webinar sometime next week.

Rob Symington on Climate Change: “We Have To Be Activists”

At an online conference this week, members of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) spoke of the need to “be activists” in order to bring about real change in the fight against carbon emissions.

Founded last year by Familia Torres and Jackson Family Wines, the IWCA is a small but growing group of wineries dedicated to ‘de-carbonizing’ the wine industry and combatting the effects of climate change.

Crucially, the group requires its members to commit to actively lowering its carbon emissions. The requirements upon joining are:

A complete end-to-end (through Scopes 1-3) Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory (which must be completed six months after joining).

At least 20% of power generated through on-site renewable energy.

Demonstrate a reduction of at least 25% in CO2 emissions for every litre of wine produced after a baseline of emissions has been established.

A commitment to reducing total emissions by 50% by 2030 and ‘climate positive’ by 2050.

Speaking at the conference, Familia Torres’ sustainability manager, Josep-Maria Ribas, explained that all the objectives are, “science based”, to allow members to work towards producing real results in how their companies and wineries operate.

Also speaking was Rob Symington of Symington Family Estates, one of the first wineries to sign up to the IWCA. He said that the big challenge when it came to meaningful change in environmental initiatives was to “avoid greenwashing”.

Not wanting to be criticized and being seen to do something had been the “usual approach” in this area for many years and many sceptics are all too eager to pounce on projects – even good ones – that lack some sort of robustness to their processes.

This is why as well as setting its own goals, Symington said that the family-run group had been, “seeking external frameworks where we’re being held accountable to things we said we would do and that’s the most effective way to avoid falling into the trap of greenwashing”.

And while Symington Family Estates, alongside Torres, Jackson and other members, are able to take control of certain emission hotspots in the vineyards and winery more directly – producing their own energy, cutting energy use, adapting their vineyards to the changing climate, etc – there’s also a strong case for ‘activism’.

As Symington continued: “Over 85% of our emissions are beyond our control – they’re produced by the brandy makers we buy spirit from, glassmakers and transportation and so on,” but, he continued, customers at all points are able to “act as lobbyists to change those emissions from our partners”, and “put positive pressure throughout the chain”.

He added that it sometimes seemed at odd for very traditional wineries to act like activists but countered it was also important to, “stick your neck out and sign up to things like the IWCA. We joined to hold our feet to the fire and to justify the steps we need to take”.

Having goals and being held accountable is vital if not only the structural systems are going to change but the culture behind them that enables those structural systems are going to change too.

But given the challenges and threat posed to vineyards and longstanding family companies by climate change, there is also a (perfectly) legitimate form of “enlightened self-interest” in being a champion for the cause, as Symington admitted.

The IWCA is currently comprised of nine members across the Americas, Europe and Antipodes, with another two apparently close to signing up. Membership is not restricted by size and Ribas added it was currently compiling an emissions calculator that would help smaller wineries be able to join and identify where to focus their efforts to meet the entry requirements without the need to hire expensive consultants.

IWCA website – https://www.iwcawine.org/

Sources:  Drinks Business and IWCA

Women in Wine Talks with Chile and Argentina – October 20, 2020 1:00 PM EDT

It is our great pleasure to invite you to be part of an exclusive “live talk” with five trailblazing women leading the Chilean and Argentine wine Industry into the future.

Join us as the panelists discuss their regions, share an intimate look at their wineries and discuss their commitment to crafting exceptional wines while preserving the natural environment.

Panelists:

Wines of Chile – Viviana Navarrete of Viña Leyda; and Emily Faulconer of Viña Carmen

and

Wines of Argentina – Susana Balbo of Susana Balbo Winery; and Andrea Ferreyra of Finca La Celia

October 20, 2020 – 1:00 pm (EDT) Zoom

Zoom link to join the Women in Wine Talks October 20 1:00 pm EDT
[complimentary ticket] https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-wine-talks-with-chile-and-argentina-tickets-123908055329?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch&keep_tld=1#

We look forward to seeing you!