Ignite Presentations…Wine Bloggers’ Conference 2012

So, I was asked to give a little presentation, 20 slides, 5 seconds each…wait, that is what I practiced for…in the end it is 20 slides, 15 seconds each on following your dreams. It turns out that having extra time is better than running out of time.  This  is a little bit about me and what I learned along the way. Enjoy! I know I did when I did it!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you’ve imagined.” -Thoreau

Special thanks to @Consciouswine for recording and posting it for me! Visit him at http://www.consciouswine.com  for the other videos.

Portland has been invaded! North American Wine Bloggers’ Conference 2012

Portland has been invaded…by wine bloggers from all over the U.S. and North America! In case you are wondering what the these hashtags like #wbc12 and #avayc or #winelover mean, you aren’t the only one…even we bloggers aren’t quite sure what they are half the time.

Twitter has taken over the wine-blogging arena: the way bloggers talk to each other these days is by @ and # signs. When I first started blogging, I was overwhelmed by the @ people and # topics that people were discussing and using as their means of communication.

This weekend has been dominated by the #wbc12, which means, “Wine Bloggers’ Conference 2012.”, The Twitter term #avayc means American Viticultural Area Yamhill Carlton; #winelover is a team of endearment for fellow winelovers and also has a link to The Wine Hub, a great marketing method used by a fellow blogger to spread the love…of wine.

Interestingly enough, we are all trying to figure out how much influence we really carry and how much credibility we hold. As bloggers, we use the interactions we have with wines and wineries as a way to help disseminate information and spread the word on a particular region or wine.  To see the perceived expectations of impact we’ll have on the Oregon Wine Industry,  you can check out the news on us:

“Wine Bloggers Conference a chance for Oregon to shine,” Oregon Statesman Journal, August 18th

“Hundreds of bloggers gathering in Portland to help shine spotlight on Oregon wine,” The Oregonian, August 16, 2012

To see our real impact, Oregon may need to wait a few months to see the direct impact as these blogs are written and shared across the world. As Oregon is now my new home, I hope to create a strong impact outside Oregon for Oregon’s wine industry through what I write and represent. I blog simply because I love writing about wine and helping demystify the wine world for others. Stay tuned!

Leaving Bodegas La Emperatriz to start a life in Willamette Valley, Oregon

Last week was my last week at Bodegas La Emperatriz in Rioja Alta, Spain. I am now preparing to leave Europe and move to the North Willamette Valley of Oregon. The Willamette Valley is located South, South West of Portland, Oregon and is well known for their award winning Pinot Noirs.

For more information on Willamette Valley, please visit: http://willamettewines.com/ where they have some great maps of the wineries in the region. They are also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/willamettewines

For information on what is going on in this area and an interactive trip planner, visit: http://www.oregonwinecountry.org/whats/index.php