Wine Industry Report

Based on significant evaluation and discussion, the American
Society for Enology and Viticulture’s (ASEV) Board of Directors has elected to discontinue the trade show portion of their popular June Annual Meeting, effective 2009. There are no plans for trade shows following the 2008 meeting in Portland, Oregon.

“This action offers us added flexibility and positions us to be more responsive to the needs of our members, exhibitors and the evolving directions of the wine industry,” said Board President Pat Howe.

Without the space requirements of an exhibit floor, the ASEV Board says significantly different site options can be considered for its annual meeting. Additionally, the Board can now allocate more resources to the development of completely new program
formats and explore more dynamic ways for suppliers to interact with the wine and grape community.

As part of its strategic planning process, the ASEV is already in the process of developing a host of new opportunities to further the interaction between suppliers and members, while better integrating suppliers’ knowledge into many aspects of ASEV
annual meeting activities. The popular Supplier Showcase Seminars introduced last year are one example of how industry members and suppliers can combine their technical
knowledge to the advantage of the industry.

The Board is also addressing new member services to both enhance member benefits and replace the trade show. The introduction of subscription-based, on-demand web videos of symposia and one-day seminars focusing on current hot topics are not only examples of new revenue sources, but more importantly offer ways to further the Society’s core value of widely disseminating research information.

“The Board is confident that this strategic decision will ultimately enrich the ASEV by providing more value and relevance to its members,” Howe said.