Reno Rolls Out the Red Carpet
SEBASTOPOL, Calif., Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — After a decade and a half of producing successful unique wine events in San Francisco, Affairs of the Vine, a Sonoma County events company, was finding it increasingly difficult, to deliver a quality wine events for consumers and wineries within the confines of a reasonable budget.
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A number of factors made San Francisco challenging stated Affairs of the Vine Chief Wine Evangelist Barbara Drady. "Over the past 15 years, San Francisco has been saturated with wine events, driving event producers to sell tickets at substantial discounts through flash sales. Cheaper tickets do not always attract the right wine buyer and trade cannot possibly attend every wine event. Having the right audience attend, especially trade is crucial to success for everyone," explained Barbara Drady. "The cost of venues has skyrocketed, many almost tripling since our first event in 2002. Quality events that deliver the right audience are synonymous with Affairs of the Vine. We needed to find a solution," continued Barbara.
AOTV began researching markets that could provide top venues and an audience seeking good wines and thirsting for winery relationships.
"The closer we looked, the more we were convinced that Reno was an ideal market," Drady added.
Affairs of the Vine discovered that Reno will support and promote quality wine events especially if winemakers and winery owners attend drawing in quality wine trade, locals, visitors and destination travelers.
The key was finding the right "home" for these events and it was here that Affairs of the Vine struck gold. "When we visited with management at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, we discovered that the unique high quality events we were creating in San Francisco fit perfectly with the interests of this beautiful property," declared Drady.
As a destination property in Reno, the Atlantis has a well-deserved reputation as the premier food and wine property in Northern Nevada.
Hosting and staging major wine events was the next step in building upon that reputation.
The Atlantis is home to two destination restaurants, Atlantis Steakhouse and Bistro Napa. Under the direction of Sommelier Christian O'Kuinghttons, who has been on property for 19 years, the wine programs at both restaurants have received top awards and accolades year after year.
The Atlantis hosted Affairs of the Vine's 13th Annual Pinot Noir Summit on July 24th and 25th. The Summit is the culmination of the annual Pinot Noir Shootout, the largest competitive tasting of New World Pinot Noirs in the wine industry. Almost 500 wines were entered this year. The Pinot Noir Summit featured 150 of the top rated Pinots and other wines produced by this year's showcased wineries.
The two-day event at the Atlantis included a Special Trade Session on the 24th featuring seminars, a blind tasting and top wineries presenting their wines to 150+ members of the trade from the Reno, Tahoe, Sacramento, and Bay Area. Five wineries found Nevada distributors for their brands at the event.
Day two was an experience for wine loving consumers: morning seminars on the unique aspects of Pinot Noir, an extensive blind tasting of this year's top wines and voting for their favorites in the consumer phase of the Pinot Noir Shootout. Wine Lovers pitted their palates against the professional judging panel.
An All Things Pinot Luncheon hosted by participating winemakers. The evening's Grand Tasting & Awards Gala was the highlight of the day. This year's top wines were announced for the professional judging and consumer voting.
Participating wineries showcased their wonderful wines and fabulous food was prepared by the highly renowned Atlantis culinary staff.
The Pinot Noir Summit received high praise from attendees and wineries.
"Now that we've found our new home," declares Barbara Drady, "we look forward to 2016. The 10th Annual Cabernet Shootout and Grand Tasting will take place on March 13th-14th and the 14th Annual Pinot Noir Summit will return on July 17th-18th."
For additional information contact Barbara Drady at 707-874-1975 or www.affairsofthevine.com.
For information on events and programs at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, visit
Contact:
Barbara Drady, Chief Wine Evangelist
707.874.1975
Email