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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Wine tasting with the vintage’s winemaker is a treat for most wine lovers. But how can such a personal experience take place when the wine tasters are approximately 2,800 miles from the winemakers?
Technology – and a little ingenuity by organizers of a recent event – allowed American Wine Society (AWS) members in Scranton, Penn., to meet with Lake County winemakers while tasting their wines last month.
Clay Shannon, owner of Shannon Ridge and Vigilance wineries, and Gregory Graham of Gregory Graham Winery were special guests of a program entitled “Virtual Tasting: Lake County Whites” presented by the Electric City Chapter of the AWS on July 14.
In the chapter’s promotion of the event, organizers wrote, “Through the magic of Skype, a MacBook and a projector, winemakers from Gregory Graham and Shannon Ridge will conduct a tasting of their wines remotely from the comfort of their California wineries. Just north of Napa Valley, Lake County is one of the undiscovered quality wine regions in the state.”
“This was history in the making,” said Lake County Winegrape Commission President Shannon Gunier, referring to the first virtual wine tasting with Lake County vintners. “Clay and Greg did a terrific job of sharing the virtues of our region’s fine wines. I think everyone had a great time and learned a little about the quality of wine we are producing out here on the West Coast.”
The “virtual wine tasting” event came about as a result of conversations between Rick Gunier of North Coast Winegrape Brokers and David Falchek, an AWS board member, when they met at a Midwest trade show.
The Lake County Winegrape Commission sent wine, along with technical sheets and tasting notes, to the AWS chapter in Scranton ahead of the scheduled tasting date.
Rick Gunier and Falchek practiced the Skype connection several times to make sure the equipment was working correctly.
Falchek noted that several other AWS chapters were interested in participating; however, the technology requirements were not quite perfected to allow simultaneous multi-Skypecasts.
More than 40 people attended the tasting event in Scranton, Falchek reported to Rick and Shannon Gunier.
While the winemakers could see some of the room via computer from where they were in Lake County, the tasters were able to see Graham and Shannon on a big screen in the conference room where the AWS chapter was holding its meeting.
In addition, as attendees enjoyed the tasting, the Electric City Chapter members were sending questions via text messages to the winemakers who were then able to provide answers to the entire audience.
“I think it went great,” said Falchek following the Skype-assisted tasting. “I know it was tough to tell from your end, but one member said, ‘We were able to connect with them better than some speakers who talk with us in person,’” Falchek wrote in an email to Rick Gunier.
“Everyone will have a warm spot for Lake County, Clay and Greg,” Falchek said about the AWS Electric City Chapter. He added that AWS will work on making the multiple, simultaneous chapter experience happen with future virtual tasting events.
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