Friday, November 1, 2013

The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño, Rioja, Spain

Pictures: Ryan and Gabriella Opaz and Robert McIntosh at the 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) in Logroño

The 2013 Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) took place in Logroño (Spain) from Friday, October 25 to Sunday, October 27, 2013. Formerly called European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC), it was the sixth such annual event. Previous conferences took place in Spain, Portugal, Austria, Italy and Turkey.

The DWCC is a three-day event that provides a platform for the global wine community to address today's online communications opportunities. The theme of the 2013 conference was “flavor”. The conference was attended by 250 participants from more than 30 countries.

Pictures: The Tapas Bars of Logroño

Conference Highlights and Content

As in previous years, the 2013 conference was a highly entertaining and educational mix of workshops, lectures, tastings and winery visits with lunches/dinners.

There were 30 or so parallel workshops, lectures and tastings on Friday and Saturday, in 3 different meeting rooms: Panos Kakaviatos led an interesting discussion about the impact of climate change on wine making. Doug Frost introduced us to the 3 subregions of Rioja. The “Aged Rioja Tasting” was extremely popular and the limited number of seats were quickly taken. Tyler Coleman and others tried to provide an answer to the question: “What is wine communication and who are the wine communicators in 2013”. David White and others addressed the issue of “Challenges of a Global Brand in Communicating Socially”. Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz led a tasting of “Native Iberian Varieties”.

Pictures: DWCC 2013 Sessions

On both days, there were walk-around tastings in the lobby from 9 am to 3 pm. On the first day, it was all Rioja producers. On the second day, there were also other, including Portuguese, producers.

Pictures: Walk-Around Tastings in the Lobby

The first day ended with a winery visit and dinner at the winery. We were taken by bus to 6 different wineries. I had the pleasure to visit Bodegas Baigorri. It was an extraordinary evening.

Pictures: At Bodegas Baigorri

A gala dinner in Laguardia was the highlight of the second day.

Pictures: At the Gala Dinner in Laguardia

The third day was comprised of excursions to wineries. You could choose between different tours. My group visited Bodegas Bilbainas in Haro and Bodegas Palacio in Laguardia, where we also had lunch.
Pictures: At Bodegas Bilbainas

Pictures: At Bodegas Palacio

Pre- and Post Conference Activities

The 3 conference days were preceded by the legendary “Bring Your Own Bottle Party” on the evening and an optional visit of and lunch at Bodegas Dynastia Vivanco in Briones during the day before the conference (on Thursday).

Pictures: At Bodegas Dynastia Vivanco in Briones

Pictures: At Bring-Your-Own-Bottle Party

Finally, before and after the DWCC 2013 there were a number of press trips, for which you could sign up. My wife Annette Schiller and I participated in a fascinating 3 day pre-conference trip to Porto, the Vino Verde Region and the Douro Valley.

Pictures: Pre-conference Press Trip to Porto, the Vino Verde Region and the Douro Valley

Conference Sponsors and Organizers

The 2013 conference was sponsored by the Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja, and organized by Ryan and Gabriella Opaz and Robert McIntosh of social media company Vrazon in partnership with Catavino.net, a site dedicated to Iberian food and wine culture.

Christian Schiller and DWCC/EWBC

This was be my third DWCC/EWBC; I participated in the 2010 conference in Vienna in Austria and in the 2011 conference in Brescia in Italy. I enjoyed these conferences very much.

Here are my postings on schiller-wine.

Austria

Picture: Lunch with Silvia Prieler, Weingut Prieler, Schuetzen am Gebirge, Burgenland, Austria in Restaurant Buergerhaus in Rust - see more: Lunch with Silvia Prieler, Weingut Prieler, Schuetzen am Gebirge, Austria

The 2010 European Wine Bloggers Conference (EWBC) in Vienna

Wine Producer Austria - Not Only Gruener Veltliner

Willi Klinger Leads Tasting of Austria's Undiscovered Stars at EWBC 2010 in Vienna

Picking and Drinking Gruener Veltliner with Ewald Gruber sen. and jun., Weingut Gruber, Weinviertel, Austria

Lunch with Silvia Prieler, Weingut Prieler, Schuetzen am Gebirge, Austria

Chef Martin Weiler Suggests Amazing Food to Go With Gruener Veltliner

Producing Wines in Austria and Hungary - Franz and Franz Reinhard Weninger

With the WienWein Winemakers in Vienna in the Heurigen Drinking Gemischter Satz Wine

Wine and Food from Burgenland at Wachter-Wieslers Ratschen, Deutsch-Schuetzen, Austria - with Tom and Christoph Wachter and Julia Sevenich

Meeting “John” Nittnaus from Gols, Burgenland, Austria

Guerilla Wine Tasting with Gottfried Lamprecht from Herrenhof in Vienna, Austria

Internet Guru and Medical Doctor go Wine: Weingut StephanO in Suedburgenland

Italy

Picture: Dinner with Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti at Badia a Coltibuono - for more see: Wining and Dining at Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany with Wine Makers and Owners Roberto and Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti, Italy

Blogging, Wining and Dining at the European Wine Bloggers Conference (#EWBC) October 2011 in Brescia, Italy – A Tour D’ Horizont

The Up and Coming Premium Sparklers of Franciacorta (#EWBC), Italy

The Premium Sparklers of il Mosnel, Franciacorta, Italy

The 1 Star Michelin Food of Chef Stefano Cerveni from the due colombe Ristorante and the Premium Sparklers of il Mosnel, Franciacorta - Wining and Dining at il Mosnel, Italy

An Apero at Zucca in Galleria in Milano, Italy

Wining, Dining and Blogging in Chianti Classico (#EWBC), Tuscany, Italy

Dining and Wining where the Royals Eat: Dario Cecchini’s Solo Cicca Restaurant in Panzano – the Butcher of Chianti Classico

Meeting Wine Maker Paolo Cianferoni at his Caparsa Estate in Chianti Classico, Italy

Wining and Dining at Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany with Wine Makers and Owners Roberto and Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti, Italy

Extraordinary Art and Wines at Castello di Ama in Chianti Classico, Italy

Tasting Wines where Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was Born – With Wine Maker and General Manager Francesco Nardi at Vignamaggio Estate in Chianti Classico, Italy

Visiting Barone Francesco Ricasoli and his Castello di Brolio in Chianti Classico, Italy

Wining and Blogging in the Soave Region, Italy

Christian G.E. Schiller’s Views on Soave – a Video Interview

Visiting Balestri Valda in Soave, Italy

Meeting the Winemakers of the Soavecru Association in the Palazzo Vescovile in Monteforte d’Alpone, Soave, Italy

A Visit of Cantina di Soave, Soave, Italy

Meeting American Wine Journalist/Writer George M. Taber (who was Present at the 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting), USA

How Recioto di Soave - a Dessert Wine - is Made: In Le Sponde Room of the Coffele Winery in Soave, Italy

Annette Schiller and Ombiasy Wine Tours

Picture: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours and Henri Lurton, Château Brane Cantenac 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux

This time, I was joined by my wife Annette Schiller, founder and owner of Ombiasy Wine Tours.

See more:
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
German Wine and Culture Tour by ombiasy, 2013
American Whiskey Producers in Germany


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