San Francisco, CA – Today, the Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship Fund, which has been supporting online wine writers for 9 years, announced it’s 9th year of providing sponsorship to wine bloggers, writers, content creators and established amateur content creators. The weekend of November 10-12, 2017, hundreds of wine bloggers, social media educators and leaders, and wine industry members will gather in Santa Rosa, California, for the tenth annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC) the premier conference for new media and the wine industry. This 10th Anniversary Celebration will bring together more than 300 people in the place where the Wine Bloggers Conference began in 2008.  Sonoma County has been intimately engaged and influential with wine bloggers for several years, and frequently hosts both media trips as well as virtual tastings for wine writers around the world to experience the breadth of wines available in this region.  With the large number of wineries and variety of wines being produced, Santa Rosa is the perfect central location for a deep dive into wine, the wine business, and evolving topics in content creation.

Funds are generated by donations from participating wineries and other industry entities as well as generous individuals. In 2016, the scholarship fund assisted 7 wine bloggers in attending the Wine Bloggers Conference in Lodi, and has assisted over 70 individuals over the last 9 years.  One hundred percent of the funds supported the scholarships and bloggers received an average of $1000 to attend the conference including registration, travel costs and accommodations. In 2016, the Scholarship announced a partnership with World’s Best Wine Clubs, a Paso Robles firm specializing in unique wine clubs for fundraising, to create the WBC Scholarship Wine Club.  This club offers three small production California wines to members four times a year, and fifty percent of all proceeds go to the WBC Scholarship Fund.  This exciting new option allows the Scholarship to partner with wineries from around the state and beyond to provide exposure and raise funds. Rodney Strong Vineyards and the Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship are eagerly anticipating the Rodney Strong Grant, where they are able to choose an applicant that best represents Rodney Strong’s core values of quality, quantity, consistency, and community spirit.

“We appreciate the continued partnership with Rodney Strong and are so excited that we are growing our relationship” said Thea Dwelle, founder and chair of the scholarship committee.  beer and wine open now“Many writers do not have the ability to fund a trip that may cost $1000 by the time hotel, flight and conference registration are totaled, and this scholarship provides diverse candidates with a reason and opportunity to join us.”top wine tweets “We are currently seeking additional funding in order to support as many emerging writers as possible in attending this year’s event.  best food and wine matchesWe are excited that we have been able to support digital wine writers for the last 7 years, and look forward to a strong future as wine, food, craft beverage, and travel writing has evolved in the digital landscape” says Dwelle.  best virginia winery tours

As an attendee of each annual conference, she has a unique view of how writing has changed over the last 8 years and how influential digital media is.  best selling wine indiaSupporting and mentoring new writers is of the utmost importance to her and the committee.2009 best wine list ABOUT THE WINE BLOGGERS CONFERENCEbest travel wine bags The tenth annual North American Wine Bloggers Conference is scheduled to be held in Santa Rosa, CA from Nov. 10-12, 2017.  wine for her birthdayThe conference draws hundreds of wine writers, industry members, social media, technology, and writing experts and focuses on intensive learning and networking experiences, as well as local area wine education.top 10 brand wine in india

ABOUT THE WINE BLOGGERS CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP The Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship is partnered with Enobytes, a non profit organization dedicated to sharing passion and knowledge of wine and food.  Enobytes serves a global audience of wine lovers, and takes innovation to the next level with interactive maps, in depth wine reviews, and wine business analysis.  The Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship is proud to partner with Enobytes, and offers a 501c eligible donation via this partnership. The Wine Bloggers Conference Scholarship was founded in 2009 to provide well established amateur content creators with a stipend so they can attend the wine bloggers conference, further their knowledge, their network, the wine blogging community and the wine industry as a whole.  The recipients are bloggers who are not affiliated with a winery or other company in the wine industry with a demonstrated financial need. Specific attention is paid to bloggers who post regularly, have never attended the conference before and who are students with a particular focus in wine.

Applicants to the Wine Bloggers Conference are asked to describe their blog, their financial need pertaining to the conference, and why they are deserving of sponsorship. Stipends are awarded through a committee selection process based on the above mentioned focus criteria. From small towns in Idaho and Washington state to the tried-and-true regions of Napa Valley who are shaking things up, you’ll never guess where (or how) you’ll be drinking your next glass of vino. Photo By: Ashley Bowen / Burnt Shirt Vineyards Photo By: Tap & Barrel Room Photo By: Law Estates Winery Photo By: Rancho Sisquoc Photo By: Richard Duval / Woodinville Media Group Photo By: Bonobo Wines Photo By: Grape Creek Vineyards Photo By: Fujishin Winery Photo By: Mark Mularz / Weisinger Family Winery Photo By: Madrone Napa North Carolina is home to more than 100 wineries with more than 20 in the mountains. Varietals near Asheville include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.

The largest winery in the area is the world famous Biltmore Estate, in operation since May of 1985, when the Biltmore Estate Wine Company opened its $6.5 million state-of-the-art winery to the public. But newcomers cannot be overlooked. Burntshirt Vineyards features a 10,440-square foot winery with a crush pad, special equipment to de-stem the grapes, a laboratory to test grapes, and a 1,700-square foot barrel room which mimics wine caves found in European chateaus. Overmountain Vineyards, a boutique winery on a 70-acre family-owned farm, grows 17 acres of French vinifera. While they focus primarily on Petit Manseng (an aromatic white grape originally from southwest France) and classic red varietals, two acres of organically grown blueberries are also under cultivation for future winemaking. In 1990, this region had 17 wineries. Today there are around 200, growing everything from Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and Chardonnay to Pinot Noir, Pinot Franc and, most recently, Syrah. The 132-mile Okanagan Valley is British Columbia's largest wine region, but wine lovers can also explore Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island for a taste of the old-vine plantings plus new-breed blends.

For an over-the-top experience in Fraser Valley, take a tour with SKY helicopters, which offers private tastings, spectacular views, and your very own sommelier guide. For a unique way to enjoy Vancouver Island, take a floatplane across the Strait of Georgia to Victoria. Staying in the city of Vancouver? Try more than 51 British Columbian wines on tap at one of the three locations of Tap & Barrel or explore the 16 BC wine taps at their smaller sister restaurant, TAPshack. Paso Robles, one of the cowboy-meets-winemaker towns in the Central Coast, has more than 200 wineries and 26,000 acres of vineyards, but often takes a backseat to its better-known and older sibling up north (Napa). Situated slightly inland, its warmer climate is ideal for Zinfandel, Bordeaux, and Rhone-style vintages—and it’s often referred to as “American Rhone.” Not to mention, it’s completely stunning. The proprietors of Law Estate Wines believe that a tasting room should be just like your living room, and their modern architecture in an idyllic setting will incite any wine lover to want to stay awhile.

Turley’s renowned Zinfandels and Petit Syrah are part of their collection of 28 separate wines from 35 different vineyards (some with vines that date back to the late 1800s), which comes as no surprise since proprietor Larry Turley is a former emergency room physician and he can now focus his skills on the old vineyards. Others in the area not to miss include Booker, Jack Creek Cellars, and Denner Vineyards. The Santa Maria Valley is hot right now. For starters, the cost of living and of properties in this Central Valley region are much less expensive than up north in Napa. And that is attracting many young, up-and-coming winemakers to the area. Fruit is so spectacular here that many northern winemakers are traveling south to purchase pinot grapes. Mild days and cool evenings help Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes reach their maximum potential—the climate is ideal for these varietals, with its perfect flow of air from the coast without being blocked by mountains. Scar of the Sea is receiving very high marks from top wine publications, and the Presqu’ile Winery, led by a South African winemaker, just built a stunning tasting room.

And veteran Rancho Sisquoc is situated on a 37,000-acre cattle ranch nestled in the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail and produces more than 20,000 cases per year. Woodinville, in the heart of the Sammamish River Valley, is a great day trip from Seattle. Spend a relaxing day at the more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms in this urban-esque area—a new wine lover’s addition to nearby (and better known) Walla Walla. Nestled between the vast vineyards east of the Cascades and the Puget Sound, the area is home to authentic beverage makers (wine, beer, and spirits), great food, a diverse downtown, and a myriad of scenic outdoor activities. Take the Savor at Sunset Wine Walk on the first Thursday of every month, or visit a nearby winery. During the summer months, relax on the patio of the Bookwalter Wines tasting studio. Chateau St. Michele hosts outdoor summer concerts and there's always live music at the DeLille Cellars Carriage House Tasting Room or the Maison DeLille Wine Lounge. Traverse City is situated halfway between the North Pole and the Equator—the same locale as the wine regions of France and Italy.

The area’s two wine trails are located on the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas—both of which stretch out into the waters of Lake Michigan. Bonobo Winery, founded by brothers and Traverse City natives, offers world-class wines in a rustic yet elegant atmosphere. Mario Batali (of Food Network fame), curates the menu to pair with their unique wine selections, including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. The facilities at Black Star Farms Winery include tasting rooms, a distillery, a luxury inn, a farm-to-table cafe, an equestrian facility, and a unique urban tasting room/wine bar in the historic Village at Grand Traverse Commons. And for a brush with celebrity, wine and pop-culture lovers can visit Ciccone Vineyard, which is owned by Madonna’s father, Silvio Ciccone, and offers a special Madonna series of wines. Wine Road 290 is an association of 15 wineries located on a 45-mile stretch of US Highway 290 from Johnson City to Fredericksburg.

Only 90 minutes from Austin and San Antonio, the dynamic nature of the Texas Hill Country wine industry makes every visit to this rapidly growing region a journey of discovery. “In the past five years we have seen wineries grow from boutique curiosities to beloved estates. Tourists come to taste the wines along Wine Road 290, and many become wine club members for an experience that is uniquely Texas Hill Country,” explained Miguel Lecuona, part of the Fredericksburg Road 290 Association. Hye Meadow Winery, in the heart of Wine Road 290, is just one of dozens of wineries that dot the area. “Wine aficionados are rapidly discovering this area and we see a great mix of people who have been visiting us for years and folks who are just discovering the great wines now being made in Texas," said owner Mike Batek. Grape Creek Vineyards utilizes a state-of-the-art wine production complex with more than 35,000 square feet of crush, production, cellaring, and bottling space. The Pedernales Cellars winery and tasting room is located just south of the Hill Country town of Stonewall, and opened its doors to guests in 2008 to sell its inaugural wines produced from the 2006 vintage.

Snake River Valley creates a micro climate that has shown its suitability for grape growing, despite its higher elevation and arid landscape. New-wave vintners are planting Riesling, Malbec, Syrah, Viognier, and more—in the last decade, the number of in-state wineries has jumped from 11 to 50. Since 2009, Fujishin Family Cellars has focused solely on wines made from the Snake River Valley in their unique high-dessert climate—the combination of warm days and cool nights creates a balance of acidity, fruit, and regional character. The tasting room for Cinder Wines, named for the volcanic cinder of the area, is located inside their urban winery, just five minutes from downtown Boise in Garden City. Ashland consists of more than 100 wineries and 250 vineyards growing grapes on nearly 5,000 acres, which is not surprising since Southern Oregon has a seven-month European-like growing season, making it an ideal place to grow wine grapes. The 12 area wineries that market themselves as the Bear Creek Wine Trail won an unprecedented number of top awards at the statewide competition called the Oregon Wine Experience (OWE) this past summer.

The Weisinger Family Winery won a Double Gold medal for both their 2013 Malbec and their 2015 Chardonnay. RoxyAnn Winery won a Double Gold medal for its 2012 Claret. Other must-visit vineyards include Ledger David, Edenvale Wines, and up-and-comer Bella Fiore. The new proliferation of urban tasting rooms on and off the Sonoma Plaza are creating a totally different experience than visiting the vines. But traditional wineries are also changing things up, focusing more on the experience of tasting wine. Madrone Estate Winery in nearby Glen Ellen offers special events featuring yoga. One Hope Wine, led by innovative CEO and co-founder Jake Kloberdanz, integrates a social impact into every one of its wines: the Chardonnay funds clinical trials for breast cancer, the Sparkling Brut funds meals for children, and the Pinot Noir funds pet adoptions, just to name a few. Jordan Kivelstadt of Kivelstadt Winery and Free Flow Wines is putting wine in kegs, which reduces the cost of traditional packaging and transportation, and allows establishments to offer more wines by the glass.