Winemakers Dinners

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rpwiki

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Does anyone run winemakers dinners during the winter? We have some great local / regional wineries here that we are strating to partner with and promote. We're looking to run a series of winemaker dinners Jan / Feb and (having never done this before) and interested to hear from folks who have done this (how you organize / promote it etc) and any suggestions.
 
We have not done it yet as we have not finished our function room. I don't know where you are located, but here we have to apply for and purchase an event license for the day. I think we also need to get a wine tasting license for the day (or you can use the winery's satellite license) but it is possible the day function license will cover the liquor. Get a great caterer to do the dinner. Make sure to take orders for wine sales to encourage the wineries to participate. Get the winemaker to attend the dinner and explain the wines.
In our county they also do not allow two licenses per building which makes no sense at all – meaning if you have a B&B license you cannot get a day function license. This is why my walk out basement where the function room will have a vineyard view is not part of my B&B under my license.
You can promote the dinner through the winery and their wine club, your local wine shops, online. There are websites such as The Juice at http://www.localwineevents.com/ where you can list your events for free. Here in Virginia our wine marketing group has a website that allows functions to be listed for free at www.virginiawines.org so I would google wine + your towm to find whatever comes up. Check if your local tv station has a free “what’s happening in the area” announcement.
And make a package for anyone staying at your inn to include the winemaker’s dinner
RIki
 
Thanks! Your package designs are great. We have an emerging local organic food / wines industry emerging that we want to leverage off given we're about 5 hours north of Napa/Sonoma and can expect to draw food/wine lovers from the Bay Area up. I think we're covered under our existing liquor license, but thanks for bringing taht up because I wouldn't have thought about that! Luckily we're starting to build great relationships with our local winemakers so no problem having them attend in person (it also helps that, coincidentally, all of them seem to have kids the same age as ours, so the promise of a night away and kids playing in our quarters with babysitters seems to be all we need to have them agree to do this!). I'll let you know how it all works out.
 
Thanks! Your package designs are great. We have an emerging local organic food / wines industry emerging that we want to leverage off given we're about 5 hours north of Napa/Sonoma and can expect to draw food/wine lovers from the Bay Area up. I think we're covered under our existing liquor license, but thanks for bringing taht up because I wouldn't have thought about that! Luckily we're starting to build great relationships with our local winemakers so no problem having them attend in person (it also helps that, coincidentally, all of them seem to have kids the same age as ours, so the promise of a night away and kids playing in our quarters with babysitters seems to be all we need to have them agree to do this!). I'll let you know how it all works out..
You're in a great area for wine dinners and the wineries will love being able to sell their wines at your dinners so go for it!!!
RIki
 
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