Family Winemakers of California Tasting 2007 @ San Francisco, CA
Celebrating 17 Years of Wine Tasting for Wine Buyers and Consumers
Since it’s founding in 1991, Family Winemakers of California has presented an Annual Tasting. Originally, the Tasting was developed as a trade-only event; an opportunity for member-wineries and California’s wine trade to gather together and talk about the issues foremost in the minds of industry members while tasting great wine. Because FWC represented the smaller wineries the tasting was a unique opportunity to showcase the winemaking craftsmanship of vintners from across the state.
The original event at the Sheraton Palace Hotel featured 46 wineries and with each Annual Tasting, its reputation as one of the finest opportunities to taste a broad, cross section of California wines grew. And the size of the tasting grew. Each year more wineries chose to attend and pour wines. More restaurateurs, retailers, distributors and media converged on the tasting. The Annual Tasting quickly became one of the most anticipated wine events in California. How times have changed since 1991.
“Tasting 2007” will open its doors to wine trade, media and consumers on Sunday, August 19 at Fort Mason Center’s Festival Pavilion. Once again, it will be an opportunity to taste great wines and meet the winemakers and owners behind some of California finest wineries. Over 400 wineries poured 1,000 wines and upwards of 30 wineries make their debut at the event.
An evolution
Seeking to accommodate the developing interest in a diverse tasting, Family Winemakers of California moved the tasting to the elegant, and larger confines of San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel. By 1996, the continued growth of the tasting forced a new move to One Market Plaza, where for the first time consumers were invited to attend the tasting. The response was phenomenal, as wine lovers from across the Bay Area and the state recognized what the wine trade had known for years -- the Annual Tasting was a rare opportunity; it was an event where all of California’s wine regions and many of the finest wineries in the state were on display.
In 1997, a larger venue was again needed. The Annual Tasting moved to Herbst Pavilion, on the water at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. This tasting presented over 125 wineries from across the state. Owners and winemakers attended and poured their wines. And over 1,700 people attended. The 1998 tasting again drew a record number of wineries and attendees, suggesting a need for more space in 1999. That next year FWC moved the Tasting into the larger Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center and hosted 204 wineries and over 3,500 trade, media and consumers.
In recognition of its growth, stature within the wine trade, and to capitalize on the new century, as well as its 10th anniversary, the Annual Tasting in 2000 was renamed “Tasting 2000”. The event featured 235 wineries and over 4,500 attendees. In the intervening years Family Winemakers has hosted upwards of 405 wineries at the San Francisco event. One phenomenon that marks FWC’s Tasting is the debut of many new, hard to find wineries. This facet of the tasting speaks to its marketing power for small producers and the opportunity for wine buyers to enliven wine lists.
The tasting continues to evolve based on the needs of association members. In 2004, Family Winemakers combined a separate consumer only event with the annual tasting and now holds back-to-back tastings. The first day focuses on consumers, although wine trade can take advantage of this day to visit more wineries. The second day is solely for wine trade. In 2005, the tasting moved from its traditional post-harvest calendar slot in November to late August. The move was predicated on a desire to give the wine buying trade additional time to place holiday orders. It was well-received and the 2006 tasting remained in August; as will the 2007 event.
Tasting 2007 will be held in Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center on August 19 and 20.
In 2000, Family Winemakers started holding a tasting in the Los Angeles area for wine trade. Over the past four years the event has been held at the Pasadena Convention Center and typically draws over 300 wineries and over 1,000 members of the wine trade. It is the largest wine tasting of California wines in the Los Angeles area. The 2007 event, our 8th, was held on March 20 in Pasadena. The 2008 event will be Tuesday, March 18 in the new Pavilion at the convention center.
Wine Flash!
FWC Opens New Offices
07/12/2007
Family Winemakers of California will be moving its office on August 1, 2007. The new address will ...