Whole Lot of SIP

Learn what it means to be SIP Certified and about our recent research project through the California Department of Farming and Agriculture on how to talk about sustainability in the market place, plus all the marketing tools available to you. Together we can help wine drinkers everywhere drink sustainably.

You Don’t Know SIP

Learn the similarities and differences between three farming systems: sustainable, organic, and biodynamic. Get empowered to convey this information to customers, and train your staff on the differences between these systems.

Form, SIP & Function

Tips for making your tasting room sustainable. From cutting back on excess to practicing sustainability in your every day tasting room tasks, learn how customer-facing practices strengthen messaging tenfold. 

Market the SIP out of It

Learn the latest tactics to get your brand story tightened up and seen on social media. Plus, hear your peers’ biggest fails and wins in the marketing arena.

Panelists:
Katie Bruce, Niner Wine Estates
Heather Daenitz, Craft and Cluster
Michelle Barrera, EnjoySLO.com

Do Bears SIP in the Woods?

We are still bringing you your feathered and furry friends and frenemies so you can learn how they impact winegrowing.

Beth Vukmanic Lopez, SIP Certified

The first line of Beth’s autobiography comes straight out of a 16-bar blues song: “I was born in a VW Rabbit on a freeway in Detroit.” Her family moved around a bit with stops in Virginia and Northern and Southern California. Beth settled in the Central Coast and graduated from Cal Poly with a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness, Marketing Concentration and a minor in Music. She joined the Vineyard Team in July 2009 and currently serves as Manager of SIP Certified. Two things you didn’t know about Beth. First, she has been playing harp professionally since she was 16 and still does a few gigs a year. Second, she is a HIIT instructor (high intensity interval training). Her “Bethercize” videos are both awesome and intimidating. Beth and her husband share a house somewhere in San Luis Obispo with their one “foolproof” plant.

Paul Crout, Helena Agri-Enterprises

Since 1999, Paul has specialized in agricultural production, viticulture, business, marketing, and product development. His agricultural specialties include Integrated Pest Management, Viticulture, Soil-Plant-Water Relations, and Plant Nutrition. In addition to these skills, Paul is well versed in sales, marketing, and strategic planning. Paul is a graduate of Cal Poly SLO and spent years as a vineyard consultant and currently works for Helena, a leader in agronomic solutions. 

Samantha Aguliar, Cambria Wine Estates

Samantha became interested in recycling and conservation at an early age through the Ranger Rick magazines she would read as a child. At the age of 10, she wrote an impassioned letter to then-President Bill Clinton pleading for the government to be more conscientious about their impact on the environment. When Samantha joined Cambria Winery as a laboratory technician, she was impressed to see the commitment Cambria and Jackson Family Wines have for being “good stewards of the environment”. Her enthusiasm for being environmentally thoughtful made Samantha a natural fit when Cambria was looking for someone to head up their Sustainability Committee. The committee’s goals are to maximize efficiency, minimize waste, and educate the employees at Cambria towards a more viable and renewable working environment.

Heather Deanitz, Craft & Cluster

Heather is a wine industry veteran with over ten years in various areas of the industry from the tasting room, cellar, shipping to the vineyard. Holding a degree from Oregon State University in Horticulture, with an emphasis in Viticulture and Enology, the wine industry feels like home for her. While working for a vineyard management company in Santa Barbara County, she rediscovered a love of photography and found a previously unknown interest and skill in social media management. From there she hit the ground running creating social media stories that strengthened brands and captivated the consumer and created her own agency Craft & Cluster.

Katie Bruce, Niner Wine Estates 

Katie is a Cal Poly graduate who made the (completely logical) leap to forgo her major and get involved in the wine industry. Realizing that her only relevant knowledge of wine at that point was on par with a wine known commonly known as Mr. Shaw, she decided her education would start in the cellar. After spending four months happily covered in grapes and driving forklifts during harvest, one accidental crash led the winemaking team to deem her too high of liability and she’s been in Marketing ever since. When not at the winery you can find her outside somewhere drinking beer and stalking other gorgeous brands on Instagram. 

At Niner, she is responsible for analyzing the business, coordinating across functional groups in marketing our wine, and ensuring that packaging, digital media, and trade support are all on-brand and beautiful.

Michelle Barrera, EnjoySLO.com

Michelle is the creator of EnjoySLO.com and has over 12 years of social media experience and specializes in event management. She grew up in Los Angeles County where she owned her own popup retail store and threw community events with her husband. They now work with clients throughout the central coast and assist with event promotion, website development, SEO, and social media management.

Zoo to You

Giving a world wide voice to wildlife by providing a permanent, loving home for displaced, abused, abandoned or permanently injured wild and exotic animals. These animal ambassadors come to you through the Zoo to You and Wild Things outreach programs to teach all ages about conservation and inspire them to protect the planet.